The History:
The Zeeland Education Foundation (ZEF)was established in the spring of 2005. The goal of the Foundation is to raise private funds to enhance academic excellence for all students of Zeeland Public Schools. An anonymous donor graciously provided $10,000 in seed money to begin this effort.A community-wide fundraising campaign, called Crayons to Careers, was initiated to provide revenue and to establish the endowment fund.The endowment fund as of today is at $650,000.
The Direct Impact Fundis the checking account. Gifts to this fund ensure that the Foundation is able to provide funding for the annual grant cycles while itcontinues to save for the future. The goal is to support yearly granting cycles of $50,000. The annual fundraiser, The Fowl Play Dinner, helps to provide for this.
The Legacy Fundis the savings account (endowment). This fund is designed to provide long-range support to the school by investing the funds, accruing interest and leaving the principal intact.It provides a perpetual source of funding necessary to address educational needs far into the future. An endowment gift is made with the understanding that the principal is continually preserved and a percentage of the investment income is spent annually. Gifts can be made to the Legacy Fund as a cash donation, in-kind gifts, stocks, funds transfers and estate planning.The Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area serves as the fiscal agent for our endowment fund, The Legacy Fund.
The Commitment:
“Making Quality Public Education a Lifetime Gift.”
This means providing a perpetual source of funding necessary to address educational needs far into the future. It also includes making sure that Zeeland Public Schools remain a “destination district”. More importantly it provides resources that allow Zeeland Public Schools to go Above and Beyond the basic curriculum budgets for generations to come.
The Zeeland Education Foundation strongly believes in being a steadfast funding mechanism for Zeeland Public Schools. Zeeland Education Foundation is the Academic Boosters!
Public schools are currently funded at the 2006levels despite having costs that have increased annually since that time, which has put the district in a position of shrinking programs that it can’t afford. In order to remain a “destination district” that leads in educational opportunities, the ZEF needs your financial support. Asthe Academic Boosters,it wants to push to the next level and build the endowment to annually generate over a $100,000 for the district.
The Next Step:
In order to achieve this goal, ZEF is launching The Legacy Campaign to raise the endowment by $ 600,000. This increasesit to $ 1.20 million dollars in the endowment, which will generate the needed amount necessary to achieve this goal for years to come.
This will allow the ZEF to leave a legacy, to sustain funding into the future for Zeeland Public Schools. Donation information will be distributed this April and May to the community.
The Zeeland Education Foundation hopes you will consider joining the Legacy Campaign to ensure quality public education remains a lifetime gift for the students of Zeeland Public Schools!