FAQ's Cabrillo Education Foundation

FAQs Cabrillo Education Foundation

What does the Cabrillo Education Foundation (CEF) do?
Why a foundation?
When was the Cabrillo Education Foundation established and who runs it?
What are CEF's operating expenses?
How do the Immediate Use Funds get used?
How can I get more involved with the Cabrillo Education Foundation?
What is your relationship with the Cabrillo Unified School District?
Why do we need to raise private dollars for our schools? Shouldn’t education be fully funded by our state taxes?
What is the purpose of the Endowment Fund and why was it formed?
How can I make a contribution?
How is company matching handled?
How is the Cabrillo Education Foundation and the Endowment Fund managed?
Why should I give to the Cabrillo Education Foundation when there are so many other worthy causes that need funding just as badly?
Are there other ways to support the Cabrillo Education Foundation?
How important is eScrip?

Q. What does the Cabrillo Education Foundation (CEF) do?
A. CEF’s mission is to raise funds and direct financing to support academic programs at all levels of the performance spectrum, providing targeted opportunities to enable students to excel and achieve differentiated academic performance.

Q. Why a foundation?
A. The idea of creating private education foundations to support public schools gained momentum in California after the passage of Proposition 13 in 1976. By limiting the property tax base, Proposition 13 endangered funding for public schools. Since the late 1970’s many foundations have been created to funnel money directly into the local public schools so that the level of academic excellence would not be compromised by the lack of adequate state funding.

Q. When was the Cabrillo Education Foundation established and who runs it?
A. Established in 2003 the Cabrillo Education Foundation (CEF) was founded by community members who recognized that the quality of its educational system and the vitality of our community are inexorably intertwined. CEF is led by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of corporate and community leaders who donate their time and talent to help fund the quality education the students attending our local public schools deserve. Since its inception CEF through its Immediate Use Funds, has distributed $670,000 donated dollars directly into the classrooms, funding the needs of our students and their teachers.

Q. What are CEF's operating expenses?
A. Going forward the Cabrillo Education Foundation's operating expenses will be funded by the foundation. Up to 7% of all future donations may be allocated to fund CEF's operating expenses; allowing 93% of CEF donations to go directly to the endowment fund or the immediate use fund.

Q. How do the Immediate Use Funds get used?
A. From 2003 through 2011 CEF distributed over $630,275 immediate use dollars to all the schools within the Cabrillo Unified School District. Funds are distributed annually to all of our local public schools based on their relative student population. CEF requires the funds be spent within the school year on projects or programs that have a direct impact on our students. This determination is made by the Principal, along with the elected site council, or parent/teacher organization of each school. We ask the schools to report back to us within 45 days of the distribution and describe the process they used to determine where to invest their share, and what programs or projects they will be funding that year. Please click on how the money was spent to see a break down for the most current year.

Q. How can I get more involved with the Cabrillo Education Foundation?
A. We are always looking for volunteers so please call the CEF office at 726.7871, to see how you can personally get involved and make a difference!

Q. What is your relationship with the Cabrillo Unified School District?
A. CEF is a separate, non-profit 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization that operates independent of the Cabrillo Unified School District for the sole benefit of the students attending our local public schools.

Q. Why do we need to raise private dollars for our schools? Shouldn’t education be fully funded by our state taxes?
A. While we hope for state funding to fully satisfy public education needs it has become clear in recent years that adequate funding for public education in California is not adequate to meet today’s diverse community needs. As a state we lag far behind the national average in expenditures per pupil. The ADA per pupil average funding in California last year was $7,127, in our district it was $6,903. In California today there are roughly 580 operating education foundations to support public education.

Q. What is the purpose of the Endowment Fund and why was it formed?
A. In recognition of the need for sustained revenues for our local public schools, the Board of Directors created an Endowment Fund in 2006. Endowment funds provide a lasting gift. Building a permanent Endowment Fund is the best way to protect the investment we have made – and continue to make – in financing educational excellence. It ensures that we can continue to offer the widest possible range of educational opportunities for all students attending our public schools, despite the ongoing fluctuation and mandated restrictions in state funding. It secures a stable source of unrestricted income to the schools within the Cabrillo Unified School District.

Q. How can I make a contribution?
A. Tax-deductible charitable contributions may be made as:

Please donate securely online or mail a check payable to Cabrillo Education Endowment Fund and mail to: CEF, P.O. Box 354, Half Moon Bay CA 94019. Click here for our online donation link.
Appreciated securities & real estate - this may be a way to gain tax advantages for donors who have held assets for long periods of time.
Stocks & gift stocks - stocks, including stock from start-up ventures, may be placed in an endowment trust with current market value benefits.
Testamentary - assets as a part of a will may be another opportunity to give a gift of lifelong learning through a charitable trust agreement.

Q. How is company matching handled?
A. Many corporations offer matching donation programs. If your company matches personal contributions to charitable organizations, you may be able to double your contribution by simply requesting a matching donation from your company. You must initiate the matching contribution by requesting and completing a special form. Forms are typically available thorough your company HR department or on your company web site.

Q. How is the Cabrillo Education Foundation and the Endowment Fund managed?
A. The Education Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization. It has a volunteer Board of Directors, comprised of fourteen corporate and community leaders led by President, Christine Mendonca, Vice Presidents, John Ediger and Mike Alifano, Treasurer Rob Kuiper and Secretary, Jill Ballard. The foundation has independent accounting services that are provided by Parsons Accounting. The Endowment Fund guided by the Investment Policy, is being managed, pro bono by Steve Johnson, President of Johnson Lyman Wealth Advisors.

Q. Why should I give to the Cabrillo Education Foundation when there are so many other worthy causes that need funding just as badly?
A. We are fortunate to live in a community where our public schools are safe, sound, and offer a caring and progressive educational community. We have some of the best teachers California has to offer, and our high school offers ranked art, music, sports and academic programs. But as we all know it is a constant struggle to meet the needs of our diverse community, particularly when state dollars are just not available to us. It is time for us to come together and to radically change the financial landscape of the educational resources here on the Coastside. This is your opportunity to make a lasting difference to our local public schools, our students and our whole community. With your help, we can raise the bar on educational attainment and opportunity for all our kids, and by doing so bring lasting impacts to our community and California for generations to come.

Q. Are there other ways to support the Cabrillo Education Foundation?
A. Register your credit, debit, ATM or club card for eScrip.

Q. How important is eScrip?
A. It is a way to get FREE money for our schools!