Planned Giving: Myths & Facts
Planned giving. Estate giving. Legacy giving. Whatever you call it, I guarantee it’s not as overwhelming as you think. Many people believe leaving a donation to a nonprofit upon their death is only for the wealthy – and that doing so is a difficult, expensive, “I have to have an attorney” process. Nope! If you […]
Philanthropy During COVID-19
No one has been unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Lost jobs, double shifts, sick family, homeschooling, depression. In the past, helping someone you cared about was manageable, but now, helping is complicated by quarantine mandates and physical distancing. But education must continue – even adapt and thrive to meet social, nutrition, and academic gaps. Educational […]
Class Reunion Help
If it’s a milestone year for your high school graduating class, it’s time for you to get to planning (if you haven’t already), especially if your reunion is taking place over the summer. Summer is the most popular time of year for class reunions. The weather is nice, kids have off from school, travel is […]
The Legacy Society
2019 was a whirlwind of celebration for the Foundation. We marked 35 years of mission driven work to provide financial support to and promote excellence in the Cedar Rapids Public Schools. We also celebrated reaching $1 million in assets – a significant milestone for a public school foundation. But perhaps most significant was the creation […]
The Foundation in the Classroom
While our sign might be on the door of the Educational Leadership and Support Center and my desk might be in the far left corner of Accounting, the actual WORK of the Foundation’s mission happens every single day in the CLASSROOMS of the 31 District school buildings. Every September, teachers submit their dog eared pile […]
Stop the Summer Brain Drain!
The Cedar Rapids Community Schools Foundation has been funding the Summer Literacy Program for District elementary students, in partnership with PEARSON, since 2009. Why? Because summer reading statistics are concrete and show the importance of keeping students reading during the summer months. It sounds simple, doesn’t it? But the reality is very different. When that last […]
So, you’re a new District alum!
As the Executive Director of the Cedar Rapids Community Schools Foundation, let me be one of the first to congratulate you on your graduation from high school. You are an important part of the 148-year educational heritage of the Cedar Rapids Community School District, and the Foundation wants to strengthen that heritage by celebrating you […]
Class Reunion Rescue
It’s that time of year again. Spring. When my phone begins to ring a bit more than usual. The arrival of April brings panic to former Senior Class President’s across the country. At the end of the phone line I often hear a somewhat frantic, “Can the Foundation help with our class reunion?” My always […]
Value of a Dollar
Every year, high performing nonprofits review their program to administration cost ratio – that’s fancy talk for “how much of every dollar donated to the Foundation actually goes to programs, not to purchase light bulbs?” The Cedar Rapids Community Schools Foundation seeks to follow best practices in all areas, so the Trustees review this number […]
There’s A School Foundation?
“There’s a school foundation?” Yeah. I get that a lot. I also get, “Oh … yeah. The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation.” No. Lots of shared words, but different animal. The Cedar Rapids Community Schools Foundation is a nonprofit education foundation. Such foundations are “privately operated, nonprofit organizations established to assist public schools who qualify as charitable organizations, […]
