Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
HistorY
When and how was the Portland Public Schools Foundation (PPSF) established?
In 1994 the PPS Board of Education adopted Board Policy 7.10.030-P, “District Foundation.” The policy gave way for the establishment of the Portland Public Schools Foundation to support public campaigns for new bond and levy revenues and focused on raising philanthropic dollars through a Local School Foundation (LSF) model. In May of that year the Board of Education adopted a set of principles to guide the operation of foundation activities. These principles have been updated two times (1998 and 2007) and continue to serve as the basis for how LSFs are managed. For more information, please click here.
When did The Fund for Portland Public Schools take over the management of Local School Foundations?
The Fund for PPS began managing the LSFs in 2019 when the 501(c)(3) was established.
The Fund for Portland Public Schools
What is The Fund for Portland Public Schools?
The Fund for PPS is the sole 501(c)(3) non-profit organization actively fundraising on behalf of Oregon’s largest public school district. The Fund unites business, philanthropy and community to build lasting partnerships that expand opportunity for students. We are working to create the conditions in which students are prepared and energized to fully partake in the educational and social environment during their preK-12 journey. Our work is in service of the Graduate Portrait described in the district vision, PPS reImagined.
The Fund for PPS has an independent Board of Directors who serve as advocates and advisors to the Superintendent and the Board of Education on items related to business and philanthropic investments. Activities led by the 501(c)(3) entity are executed by the existing PPS Strategic Partnerships team. The Fund for PPS is modeled after the “advancement” approach and structure of many institutions of higher education. For example, The University of Oregon Foundation is the 501(c)(3) auxiliary organization of the University of Oregon that coordinates financial investments to assist the university in meeting its educational mission. The University Advancement Team at the University of Oregon leads these efforts to create awareness, build long-term relationships and facilitate charitable giving.
Foundations: Affiliated and Independent
Which PPS schools currently have active LSFs (independent and affiliated)?
There are currently 22 school communities with active foundations that are “affiliated” with The Fund for PPS, meaning they operate under the Tax ID number of The Fund for PPS. There are also 8 school foundations that are separate nonprofit organizations with independent jurisdiction and oversight by an independent board of directors. These are referred to as “Independent School Foundations.” Please click here for the 2023-2024 PPS Foundation List.
Do funds raised by Local School Foundations support their individual school communities?
Yes. Funds raised may be used for staffing positions.
How does The Fund for PPS work with school foundations?
The Fund for PPS provides administrative management in the following way:
PPS parents volunteer their time to raise funds to support staffing through their foundations. These funds are forwarded to The Fund for PPS.
Donations received by The Fund for PPS (whether by mail, in person or from The Fund for PPS’s online donation page) are deposited directly into that LSF’s unique account. The Fund for PPS supplies monthly financial reports on these accounts to all active Affiliated Foundations.
The Fund for PSS calculates each foundation’s investment in the PPS Parent Fund: one third of dollars raised after the first $10,000 raised by an Affiliated Foundation, and one-third of dollars raised that are spent on staffing after the first $10,000 raised by an Independent Foundation are pooled as the PPS Parent Fund. See directly below for more information.
At the end of each fiscal year, one-hundred percent of the remaining balance, after the PPS Parent Fund grants will be deducted, and transferred directly to the school’s account at PPS to fund positions approved by the principal and their supervisor.
PPS Parent fund
The PPS community has received positive national press coverage for initiating ways that parent-led fundraising can transcend individual school communities and make a broader, more equitable impact. In the current model, two thirds of dollars above $10,000 raised at a school may be allocated toward staffing at the school that raised the funds, while one third of the funds raised are pooled with those from other school foundations to become the PPS Parent Fund. These dollars are in turn awarded to schools based on a data-driven formula which measures relative need.