Frequently Asked Questions
| What is the Pelham Education Foundation, Inc.? | The Pelham Education Foundation, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit and tax exempt organization, founded in 1995 with the sole purpose of supporting our schools. Directed by a non-salaried board of community members, the Foundation raises money each year through donations from school families, community members, businesses, foundations, and alumni. These contributions fund grants that provide curriculum enhancements, cutting-edge technology, innovative programs, and other resources that are beyond the scope of public school funding. Collectively, these resources give our students an edge in an increasingly competitive world. |
| What is the mission of the Pelham Education Foundation? | The Foundation seeks to enhance the quality of public education in Pelham with the help of educators, citizens, parents, students, alumni, businesses and foundations. We fund educational programs that are outside the annual school budget and award grants for projects that:
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| What is a local Education Foundation and do other towns in Westchester have them? | A local education foundation such as the Pelham Education Foundation is a way for the community to partner with the school district to improve the quality of public education. This partnership provides grass roots funding and resources from the community to the public schools for the purpose of providing enhancements for students from kindergarten through high school.
Most school districts in Westchester raise funds to enhance education through a local education foundation. There are foundations in Bronxville, Bedford, Chappaqua, Harrison, Irvington, Katonah, New Rochelle and Tarrytown, among many others. Education foundations have been developed in thousands of communities across the country, and they are playing an increasingly important role in shaping educational opportunities. A strong foundation is considered an important sign of a community’s commitment to education, and the quality of our schools has a direct impact on housing values. |
| We pay high taxes to fund a large school budget. Why should we donate to the Foundation as well? | The Pelham School budget is under constant pressure to cover mandated costs (salaries, facilities, employee benefits, insurance, etc.) and increasing enrollment, yet stay within the limits of the taxation system. As a result, many creative and meaningful programs cannot be funded. The Foundation helps fund the extras that create a truly outstanding school system. By encouraging teachers and administrators to develop new programs and creative approaches to teaching, and to incorporate new technologies and equipment in their classrooms, we provide incentives for teachers to stay on the cutting edge of their field, and to stay motivated and excited about teaching. |
| How is the Pelham Education Foundation different from the PTA’s? | The Pelham Education Foundation and the PTA’s are both organizations that exist to provide strong support to our schools. The Foundation generally funds larger initiatives often specifically related to curriculum and provides seed money to pioneer new programs, technology and approaches to teaching. The Foundation considers requests with a view to the needs of the school district as a whole and particularly welcomes multi-school requests. The PTAs are part of a national organization that primarily supports teacher/parent relationships in our schools. They provide volunteer support and fundraising in order to offer various programs within each school such as parent education nights, cultural arts performances, community social events and teacher appreciation. |
| Who are the Pelham Education Foundation board members and how does the Foundation work with the Board of Education and the Pelham schools? | The Pelham Education Foundation Board of Directors is comprised of 24 community volunteers representing a broad cross section of our community, a student representative from both the junior and senior Pelham Memorial High School classes, as well as representatives from the Pelham School District administration, faculty and Board of Education as ex-officio members.
The Foundation is independent of the school board and administration, though it operates with their cooperation and support. We are in continual dialogue with the Board of Education and the Pelham School District’s faculty and administration regarding the needs of our schools. All of our major projects must be approved by the Board of Education. |
| How does the Foundation raise money? | The Foundation receives tax-deductible contributions and corporate matching gifts from the Pelham community, including parents of Pelham students, other community members, businesses, foundations, and Pelham School District alumni throughout the year. Our primary fundraiser is our annual spring campaign during which the entire Pelham community receives an “invitation to give” in the mail. In recognition of all gifts received throughout the year, Foundation volunteers decorate the doorsteps of donors with Pelham Education Foundation balloons on a Saturday in April.
In past years, we have been especially fortunate to receive substantial directed donations from generous, often anonymous donors in the community that were used to fund projects in the area of special education, the PMHS Fitness Center among others. In addition, the Foundation has received contributions from a number of PMHS alumni reunion classes over the years. In 2003, the reunion class of 1955 approached the Foundation with an offer to raise money specifically to fund significant landscape improvements in front of the high school. They were determined to replace a number of signature cherry trees that had been removed in recent years and also improve the overall appearance of the front of the school. The reunion classes of 1953, 1955, 1956, and 1975 have raised an unprecedented $52,000 to date in support of this project. |
| How are funds raised by the Foundation invested in Pelham's schools? | Working with the administration and teachers, a subcommittee of board members identifies potential major projects each year that are reviewed and then given final approval by the entire Board. The Foundation also has a bi-annual mini-grants program for teacher-initiated projects under $5,000. |
| What has been funded over the years? | Since inception, the Foundation has awarded over $800,000 in grants. This funding includes 24 major grants ranging from $5,000-$104,000 and totaling over $700,000. The Foundation has also awarded over $100,000 in mini-grants (60 grants) to foster and reward faculty initiative and innovation. The Foundation has worked to fund projects that enhance the quality of education at all school levels; over the past 12 years, approximately 63% of funding has been at the secondary level and 37% at the elementary.
If you toured the schools and saw everything provided through Foundation grants, you would see how critical this support is to the educational experience of our students. We have provided numerous resources including SMART Boards, a molecular biology lab, a foreign language lab, broadcast news production center, elementary technology centers, a fitness center, Writer’s Workshop programs, elementary Guided Reading Leveled Libraries and more. The Foundation has also funded staff development and training in a number of areas in order to increase the breadth and quality of instruction offered by the Pelham teachers. |
| What expenses does the Foundation have each year? | Our low operating costs are primarily related to mailings and other general fundraising and communication expenses. We have 24 volunteer board members who do a large part of the Foundation’s work. Quite often, members of the Pelham community donate their time and talents to support Foundation communications objectives. Historically, all annual costs have been covered by board donations. |
| How does a donation to the Foundation benefit Pelham's children and our community? | Through the generous support of donors and the work of the Foundation, children from the elementary level to the high school receive more opportunities to challenge and expand their knowledge and abilities. Our goal is to provide our children with the tools to prepare them for future success. Providing the highest level of educational opportunities to our children is the best investment the Pelham community can make. We believe that excellent public schools are essential to the economic and social health of our community. |
How can I make a donation to the Foundation? |
At any time during the year, tax deductible donations of any amount may be made via credit card on this website (see Donate page above) or by sending a check payable to: The Pelham Education Foundation 18 Franklin Place Pelham, NY 10803. A general donation form can be printed from the Donate page of our website. Please be sure to include your contact information so that we can thank you for your contribution and keep you informed of our activities. All gifts are recognized in our Annual Report, on the Supporter page of our website, in local advertisements in local publications and with balloons on your doorstep each spring! For more information please contact any of our board members. |
914-263-8148 | info@pelhameducationfoundation.net | Franklin Place | Pelham, NY 10803
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