SCASD Education Foundation has $167,810 in revenue in the 2017-18 year, a big jump from the previous year when revenue was about a quarter of that amount. As a start up non-profit, the foundation has come a long way in just a few short years. Several pages from the current year annual report are included later in this issue, and a full report is online if you want additional details on the year.

What’s the secret to success for this young foundation? Hardworking and dedicated volunteers who keep their eyes on the prize. The all-volunteer board of directors meets monthly as a group, and individually in committees to make sure the organization is focused on having the maximum impact on students.

During the 2017-2018 fiscal year, the Foundation raised almost $164,000 more than it did just two years before.

It’s been a straight shot to success for the Foundation, despite multiple obstacles over its few years of existence, but it’s easy to see the secret to its success – diligent volunteers who keep their eyes on the prize, even further enhancing the opportunities available to the district’s students.

We spoke with a few of the volunteer, unpaid board members, to understand their passion behind the project, which is finally paying off in huge ways.

“I have children in the school district,” says Michelle Frisco, board member and mother of middle schooler and elementary school students at Park Forest and Radio Park. “I think the State College School District does excellent things for the kids. I know from the teachers that there are other opportunities that they would love to offer students, that aren’t always possible…with the budget they have from tax dollars.”

Frisco was asked to join the board because of her experience as a parent and also her professional background and experience working with nonprofits.

“Part of what we’ve been doing for the last two years is really crafting a vision for the scope of the work that the Foundation will do and how the board will operate and how we’ll launch the new grant program that we’re going to launch this year for teachers…it’s been a lot of planning to date. But now I think we’ve really hit the phase where we’re really excited to start raising money for exciting projects in the district,” she says.

She notes that one of the biggest challenges for the Foundation has been to just market the group’s work. “You have to…get your name out there and let people know who you are and what kind of work you’re going to do. Without brand recognition, there’s always a challenge when asking people to donate…[But] people are starting to approach me now about what the Foundation does and asking more questions [about how the Foundation could possibly help certain student groups].”

From here, Frisco foresees a lot of growth potential and increased abilities to support more programs in the district.

Did she ever have her doubts about whether or not the Foundation would eventually make an impact, especially in those first few years? Frisco says, no. “It was just simply a matter of how quickly we could grow and how big we could get. I have to say, I’m really encouraged based on where we already are during year three.”

It’s a sentiment that’s echoed by other board members. “I don’t think [I’ve ever had any doubts],” says Chris Buchignani. “It’s really been great to work with the team that’s been assembled to help run the Foundation… I knew there were going to be some bumps along the way, but I never really doubted that it was going to get done.”

Buchignani joined the board as he recognized the need for a Foundation to support the district’s tax dollar budget. “I thought it was a really worthy undertaking and I knew it was going to be a challenge to start the group up from scratch.

I felt like I could bring some talent to the table that would help the Foundation get through that initial startup phase…[Additionally], I really take seriously the importance and value of public education and so I thought this was a way to give back to something I care about in a community I care about.”

As a board member, Buchignani describes the work he and the other members do as a mixture of organization oversight and setting Foundation precedents, as well as putting in lots of valuable man hours to ensure the Foundation’s first few big projects are successful.

“Whether it be the Maroon and Gray Society or anything else we’ve taken on, people actually roll their sleeves up and just put in volunteer hours to get it going because…[the Foundation] really is in a startup phase at this point. [We have] people who have a vision and apply and who are willing to do the hard work to get it done.”

Moving forward, Buchignani says he’s excited to get the Foundation’s first grant-making program for district educators off the ground this fall. This Student Opportunities Grant Program will offer small grants to student groups.

Board president Doug Loviscky agrees that the Foundation board is filled with individuals who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get the job done. “We’re the voice of the Foundation,” he explains. “We’re out in the community spreading the news of the Foundation, whether it’s in the business community or through the Maroon & Gray Society event or just making Facebook posts.”

He says one of the board’s biggest challenges has been educating the public about what exactly it is that the Foundation does, in comparison to some other organizations around Centre County. All the challenges are worth the reward, though, of seeing the results of the Foundation’s fundraising efforts. So far, he says the board has seen a little of what they can do for students’ growth and development, but he’s looking forward to seeing more of that, and he expects that impact to grow more and more over time.

“We’re on a great trajectory,” he says. “I like where we’re headed.”