Fundraising At Marin School

Do you feel like there are a gazillion different fundraising groups at Marin?  You are not wrong!  But each group serves a different purpose - some support our only our school while other groups support all schools.  Here is a breakdown of each.

• Marin Parent Teacher Association (Marin PTA)
• Enrichment Funding (For all schools, a joint effort of all Albany Elementary PTAs)
• SchoolCare
• Albany Education Foundation (AEF)
• Albany Music Fund (AMF)

The Marin PTA

The PTA brings together parents, teachers, students and staff to build community. In addition, they fundraise to support important school efforts. The PTA provides additional funding beyond what the district provides for technology, noontime yard coaches, library support, classroom supplies and playground equipment. The PTA is wholly responsible for school assemblies, parent education forums, the garden program, Family Math & Science Day, and a host of community-building events. See Programs. 

HOW TO SUPPORT MARIN

1. Become a PTA member.  There are several membership levels.  
2. General donation.
3. Double your generous donation with employer matching programs.  Many companies in the Bay Area provide matching donations for your charitable donations.  Click here to check if your employer participates in a matching gift program. Tax Id: 94-6172513
4. The BOX TOP$ for EDUCATION program has been made even easier. Download the Box Tops App, buy qualifying products, and scan your receipt. Your children need chores anyway, right? Have them identify the qualifying products in your household and scan away to donate to Marin PTA.
5. When you pay the one-time $25 fee to become a "Basementeer" you will automatically receive 10% off every purchase and Sports Basement will donate 10% to our Marin PTA.

Enrichment Funding

Enrichment funding funds enrichment classes. These are subjects taught by specialists during the school day and include art, music, chess, and poetry. Each elementary school's PTA leads their Enrichment Funding campaign, but donations are passed along to the district. Funds are allocated based on the number of students at each elementary. Teachers and principals work together to determine the programs. The goal is $60,000 district-wide.

$80 per student is requested

Campaign is in Aug. - Sept.

Enrichment classes occur in Winter/Spring

SchoolCare

SchoolCare funds specific, salaried teaching positions at all Albany schools. The school district counts on SchoolCare to fund staff each year and decisions about what to fund are made by surveying parents and teachers as well as by working closely with the district. They also contribute to the Elementary Enrichment Program. SchoolCare is the district's largest benefactor, with a goal of raising $300,000 each school year. They also ask the most.

$500 per student is requested

Donations accepted year-round, online or in any school office

They also have a super easy automatic monthly contribution option

Main fundraiser is a spring telethon

Albany Education Foundation

AEF directly supports teachers through a grant-writing program. Teachers submit small grant requests for equipment, field trips, etc. AEF writes checks directly to teachers for the winning proposals.

Main fundraiser is the Chocolate and Champagne Gala in February

Albany Music Fund

AMF supports music education primarily in the middle school and high school by providing and maintaining instruments. They have strongly lobbied the district for elementary music education and promote music education throughout the district.

They fundraise at band and choir events and with a letter campaign in the fall

Why are there different fundraising organizations?
The fundraising organizations allow people with a passion for public education to support their areas of choice. Most professional fundraising experts agree that the way to maximize donations is to ask often, ask for different purposes, and ask in different ways (auctions, raffles, walk-a-thons, etc.).

Can I just write one check?

Not at this time. Give what moves you, what you want for your children. You can set up automatic monthly recurring donations with most of these organizations for predictable budgeting. Or, you can make multiple donations throughout the year, triggered by events and campaigns. The fundraising events put on by each PTA and fundraising group fuel our social web and improve our community.