Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is One Community LG?
A: LGEF, Music Boosters, and our five Home & School Clubs (Blossom Hill, Daves Avenue, Lexington, Van Meter and Fisher) have joined together to consolidate back-to-school fundraising into a single campaign. Your contribution still goes to the same place it always has - directly to your school to fund vital programs and essential staff. We have simply streamlined the process to make it easier for you to donate once. For more information visit: www.onecommunitylg.org
Q: What is the purpose of LGEF?
A: To provide our children the best education possible by raising funds for our schools.
Q: Does LGEF focus on funding Teachers and Staff?
A: Yes. LGEF is the sole funding source for supplemental teachers and staff at Blossom Hill, Daves Avenue, Lexington, Van Meter, and Fisher Middle Schools.
Q: Does my donation go to support my school?
A: Yes. LGEF, Music Boosters, and our five Home & School Clubs (Blossom Hill, Daves Avenue, Lexington, Van Meter and Fisher) have joined together to consolidate back-to-school fundraising into a single campaign called One Community LG. Your contribution still goes to the same place it always has - directly to your school to fund vital programs and essential staff. We have simply streamlined the process to make it easier for you to donate once. For more information visit: www.onecommunitylg.org
Looking at just the LGEF part funds more at each school that it collects from parents at that school. This is possible because LGEF has multiple funding sources (such as businesses).
Q: How does LGEF work with our Home & School Clubs to serve our children?
A: LGEF focuses on funding teachers and staff while our Home & School Clubs fund all other programs. Home & School Clubs also organize activities and events, coordinate volunteers, and bring together our school communities.
LGEF, Music Boosters, and our five Home & School Clubs (Blossom Hill, Daves Avenue, Lexington, Van Meter and Fisher) have joined together to consolidate back-to-school fundraising into a single campaign called One Community LG. For more information visit: www.onecommunitylg.org
Q: Should I support LGEF and my Home & School Club?
A: Yes! Working together, these organizations provide the additional support needed to educate our students. It is easy to support both because LGEF, Music Boosters, and our five Home & School Clubs (Blossom Hill, Daves Avenue, Lexington, Van Meter and Fisher) have joined together to consolidate back-to-school fundraising into a single campaign called One Community LG. For more information, and to make a contribution, visit: www.onecommunitylg.org
Q: I thought public schools were funded by taxes. Why is there a need for an education foundation?
A: In the 1980's, Prop 13 was passed in California, reducing property tax rates on homes and businesses. One negative consequence of this was that the state provided less funding to the schools. Suddenly, school districts couldn't afford all the programs and teachers that we all knew growing up. They had to cut programs. Some of the things to go were art classes, music classes, school nurses and classroom aides. Basically, they had to cut anything that wasn't essential.
Parents did not want all these programs to go away so they started creating education foundations. There are education foundations all over all over the state. The purpose of these nonprofit organizations is to raise money from parents, businesses, and other local sources that they then grant to our schools to make up for the budget shortfall. Without our Education Foundation (and our Home & School Clubs), our schools would have to cut programs because there simply isn't enough funding.
Q: How does the $1150 LGEF suggested donation compare to other districts?
Education Foundations in similar Bay Area districts ask for $1000 per child or more. Examples: Piedmont $1663, Redwood Shores $1500, Menlo Park $1500, Mill Valley $1350, Burlingame $1250, San Carlos $1200, Los Altos $1200, Palo Alto $1000, Saratoga $1000.
These other districts also have active, successful Home & School Clubs or PTAs.
Q: Who runs LGEF?
A: LGEF is run by a board of volunteer parents drawn from all 5 schools, plus additional non-board volunteers. Like other Bay Area foundations, LGEF supplements volunteers with two paid staff (one part-time). Both staff are also parents whose children attended or attend our schools.
Q: Does LGEF share funding for some positions with the school district?
A: Yes. LGEF shares the cost of most positions with the district. The exact split varies from position to position and year to year.
Q: Does LGEF raise money from businesses?
A: Yes. About 20% of LGEF’s donations come from businesses (including matching grants). LGEF always aims to grow business contribution. If you know a business who wants to support our schools contact [email protected]. And if you would like to join the volunteer LGEF team that recruits local business support please contact Deborah Weinstein, our LGEF Executive Director.
Q: Does LGEF have any paid staff?
A: Yes. LGEF has a full-time Executive Director and a part time Operations Manager. Investing in paid staff provides the continuity and focus required for LGEF to grow, to sustain higher grant levels, and to better serve our schools and our students. Having staff is a best practice; all Bay Area Education Foundations the size of LGEF or larger have paid staff or are in the process of adding them.
A: LGEF, Music Boosters, and our five Home & School Clubs (Blossom Hill, Daves Avenue, Lexington, Van Meter and Fisher) have joined together to consolidate back-to-school fundraising into a single campaign. Your contribution still goes to the same place it always has - directly to your school to fund vital programs and essential staff. We have simply streamlined the process to make it easier for you to donate once. For more information visit: www.onecommunitylg.org
Q: What is the purpose of LGEF?
A: To provide our children the best education possible by raising funds for our schools.
Q: Does LGEF focus on funding Teachers and Staff?
A: Yes. LGEF is the sole funding source for supplemental teachers and staff at Blossom Hill, Daves Avenue, Lexington, Van Meter, and Fisher Middle Schools.
Q: Does my donation go to support my school?
A: Yes. LGEF, Music Boosters, and our five Home & School Clubs (Blossom Hill, Daves Avenue, Lexington, Van Meter and Fisher) have joined together to consolidate back-to-school fundraising into a single campaign called One Community LG. Your contribution still goes to the same place it always has - directly to your school to fund vital programs and essential staff. We have simply streamlined the process to make it easier for you to donate once. For more information visit: www.onecommunitylg.org
Looking at just the LGEF part funds more at each school that it collects from parents at that school. This is possible because LGEF has multiple funding sources (such as businesses).
Q: How does LGEF work with our Home & School Clubs to serve our children?
A: LGEF focuses on funding teachers and staff while our Home & School Clubs fund all other programs. Home & School Clubs also organize activities and events, coordinate volunteers, and bring together our school communities.
LGEF, Music Boosters, and our five Home & School Clubs (Blossom Hill, Daves Avenue, Lexington, Van Meter and Fisher) have joined together to consolidate back-to-school fundraising into a single campaign called One Community LG. For more information visit: www.onecommunitylg.org
Q: Should I support LGEF and my Home & School Club?
A: Yes! Working together, these organizations provide the additional support needed to educate our students. It is easy to support both because LGEF, Music Boosters, and our five Home & School Clubs (Blossom Hill, Daves Avenue, Lexington, Van Meter and Fisher) have joined together to consolidate back-to-school fundraising into a single campaign called One Community LG. For more information, and to make a contribution, visit: www.onecommunitylg.org
Q: I thought public schools were funded by taxes. Why is there a need for an education foundation?
A: In the 1980's, Prop 13 was passed in California, reducing property tax rates on homes and businesses. One negative consequence of this was that the state provided less funding to the schools. Suddenly, school districts couldn't afford all the programs and teachers that we all knew growing up. They had to cut programs. Some of the things to go were art classes, music classes, school nurses and classroom aides. Basically, they had to cut anything that wasn't essential.
Parents did not want all these programs to go away so they started creating education foundations. There are education foundations all over all over the state. The purpose of these nonprofit organizations is to raise money from parents, businesses, and other local sources that they then grant to our schools to make up for the budget shortfall. Without our Education Foundation (and our Home & School Clubs), our schools would have to cut programs because there simply isn't enough funding.
Q: How does the $1150 LGEF suggested donation compare to other districts?
Education Foundations in similar Bay Area districts ask for $1000 per child or more. Examples: Piedmont $1663, Redwood Shores $1500, Menlo Park $1500, Mill Valley $1350, Burlingame $1250, San Carlos $1200, Los Altos $1200, Palo Alto $1000, Saratoga $1000.
These other districts also have active, successful Home & School Clubs or PTAs.
Q: Who runs LGEF?
A: LGEF is run by a board of volunteer parents drawn from all 5 schools, plus additional non-board volunteers. Like other Bay Area foundations, LGEF supplements volunteers with two paid staff (one part-time). Both staff are also parents whose children attended or attend our schools.
Q: Does LGEF share funding for some positions with the school district?
A: Yes. LGEF shares the cost of most positions with the district. The exact split varies from position to position and year to year.
Q: Does LGEF raise money from businesses?
A: Yes. About 20% of LGEF’s donations come from businesses (including matching grants). LGEF always aims to grow business contribution. If you know a business who wants to support our schools contact [email protected]. And if you would like to join the volunteer LGEF team that recruits local business support please contact Deborah Weinstein, our LGEF Executive Director.
Q: Does LGEF have any paid staff?
A: Yes. LGEF has a full-time Executive Director and a part time Operations Manager. Investing in paid staff provides the continuity and focus required for LGEF to grow, to sustain higher grant levels, and to better serve our schools and our students. Having staff is a best practice; all Bay Area Education Foundations the size of LGEF or larger have paid staff or are in the process of adding them.