Local School Foundations

Since 1994, on the heels of Measure 5’s cuts to public education, parents began creating local school foundations to raise funds for teaching positions. There are currently 31 active local foundations in the Portland Public School District as well as five district-wide foundations in the Portland metropolitan area.

The Equity Fund

Because not all schools can raise significant private money, the Portland School Board requires 1/3 of the funds after $10,000 raised by local school foundations in the Portland Public Schools District to be set aside in an Equity Fund administered by the Portland Schools Foundation. The Schools Foundation targets the distribution of these funds through three grant programs designed to close the achievement gap.

Our local school foundations are critical partners in our work. Because of the active support of these parents, we are able to fund special projects in schools throughout the Portland Public School District.

Resources

If you have any questions or if you are interested in setting up a foundation at your local school, please contact Holly Weems at holly@thinkschools.org or 503.234.5404, ext. 13.