What's New
- Thank you to all who attended Catch the Wave Friday at The Nonantum in Kennebunkport. We had tremendous turnout and donations, all to support students and teachers in RSU21! Click here for more!
- The Education Foundation of the Kennebunks and Arundel 3rd Annual Golf Tournament will be June 25, 2012 at Webhannet Golf Club. Click here for more information and to register.
- EFKA now has a Facebook page! Please take a moment to check it out and “like” us with the Facebook button right above this box. We’d like to hear from you!
Education Foundation of the
Kennebunks and Arundel
P.O. Box 1531, Kennebunkport, ME 04046
info@educationfoundationka.org
FAQ
- What is the Education Foundation of the Kennebunks and Arundel?
- What does EFKA do?
- What has EFKA accomplished to date?
- How much “bang for the buck” do EFKA programs have?
- Where do the ideas for grants and programs come from?
- Do other communities have education foundations?
- What are EFKA’s future goals?
- What are the differences and similarities between EFKA and our school PTAs?
- Can Arundel students and teachers receive grants and participate in programs?
- How is EFKA governed, staffed, and organized?
- What portion of donated funds go to EFKA programs and grants?
- What is the size of EFKA’s operating budget?
- Why should I give to EFKA instead of directly to the school?
- Why do RSU#21 schools need additional resources?
- How will the money I give be used?
- How does EFKA decide which programs to fund?
- How does EFKA raise money?
- I would like to help, but money is tight, and the monthly committee meetings don’t work for me. What else can I do?
1. What is the Education Foundation of the Kennebunks and Arundel?
The Education Foundation of the Kennebunks and Arundel— EFKA— is an independent, non-profit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization founded in 2006 to enrich the public schools in the Kennebunks and Arundel. The Foundation helps foster innovation, creativity, and academic excellence by channeling private funds into areas that fall outside the school budget.
2. What does EFKA do?
- brings new ideas, pilot programs, people, and opportunities into the schools.
- funds enrichment programs for students that engage, challenge, inspire, and prepare them for the 21st century.
- funds professional development for RSU#21 staff
- builds community awareness of accomplishments occurring in the schools
- supports innovative ideas by providing feedback, encouragement, networking assistance, and financial support to individuals submitting proposals
- combines the ability to work within the school system with the capacity to raise public monies
3. What has EFKA accomplished to date?
Since June 2006 the Foundation has invested more than $450,000 in the six schools of Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel. Grant funds were provided for student enrichment and professional development. Click on program Highlights for examples of Foundation-sponsored projects.
4. How much “bang for the buck” do EFKA programs have?
EFKA has adopted several approaches to stretch the impact of our funds. Professional development grants enrich the quality of teaching, affecting generations of students. Pilot programs enable the district to test and refine new models on a small scale before rolling them out to a wide group of students. Partnerships with local organizations involve those groups’ additional resources and volunteers. Additionally, EFKA works to leverage local funds by attracting private monies from other grant agencies.
5. Where do the ideas for grants and programs come from?
In the Foundation’s first year, most ideas for Foundation programs came from school administrators and the Foundation Board itself. Now the majority of grant requests are submitted by teachers, with a few from community members. Proposals are welcomed from any quarter, and should have approval of the relevant school principal and, if appropriate, the RSU#21 director of information technology.
6. Do other communities have education foundations?
Yes. Since the first community education foundation was established in the late 1970s in California, thousands more have been created and have successfully channeled private resources to public education throughout the United States. Other community education foundations in our region include the Cape Elizabeth (Maine) Education Foundation (founded 2001), and the Lexington (Massachusetts) Education Foundation (founded 1989).
7. What are EFKA’s future goals?
EFKA’s mission is to enhance educational excellence. The Board and committees identified several priorities, including: 1) Fully integrate all three communities into the Foundation’s work; 2) Support the efforts of the RSU#21 School Board to build community awareness of accomplishments within the district; 3) Strengthen the organization by addressing long-term fundraising needs and enhancing the quality and relevance of proposals.
8. What are the differences and similarities between EFKA and our school PTAs/PTOs?
Similarities
- Both enrich local education, assist educators, and strengthen relationships among schools, parents, and the community.
- Both are governed by volunteer boards and staffed by volunteer members.
- Both raise funds for programs that could not otherwise be offered under the limited school budgets.
Differences
- EFKA’s mission is tightly focused on programs that strengthen educational excellence, and requests for EFKA grants are assessed against established criteria. The PTAs’/PTOs’ broader mandates enable them to fund not only academic programs but also important non-academic items such as emergency communications equipment and playground structures.
- EFKA serves all six RSU#21 schools, whereas the schools are served by four separate PTAs/PTOs: Arundel PTA, Kennebunk Elementary PTA (serving KES and SRS), Kennebunk Consolidated PTA, and Middle School of the Kennebunks PTO.
- EFKA raises funds from foundations, businesses, and individual donors. The PTAs/PTOs raise funds through membership dues and through social events designed to increase parent involvement in the public schools.
9. Can Arundel students and teachers receive grants and participate in programs?
Yes. In 2009, EFKA amended its name and its charter to include Arundel. All schools that are part of RSU#21—which includes all of the Towns of Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, and Arundel—may submit proposals to EFKA and participate in EFKA-funded programs.
10. How is EFKA governed, staffed, and organized?
The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors who meet monthly. We have no office space or paid staff. All work is conducted by volunteers. EFKA has four committees, which meet monthly. Interested volunteers may serve on a committee, work on special events, or contribute in another capacity.
11. What portion of donated funds go to EFKA programs and grants?
97% of Foundation funds go directly to grants for educational programs and professional development. We remain committed to directing the maximum amount of our funds to programs. We have no paid staff or office space.
12. What is the size of the EFKA’s operating budget?
The budget has grown each year. In 2008 EFKA raised $120,000 and granted $90,000 for programs. Funds raised in one year may be expended in the same or the next fiscal year. Currently, the Finance Committee is working to determine the operating budget for the 2011-2012 school year.
13. Why should I give to EFKA instead of directly to the school?
The RSU#21 schools are publicly funded, and their spending is governed by federal and state legislation and regulations, as well as by the local budget processes of our three towns. EFKA’s spending of private funds is not governed by federal or state educational legislation or by political considerations. EFKA is a nimble organization able to quickly bring creative ideas to life.
14. Why do RSU#21 schools need additional resources?
Shrinking federal and state funding over the last fifteen years has posed significant challenges to public education, severely limiting the opportunities to fund innovative and creative programs. In 2009-2010 alone, the district faced an $800,000 cut. Although EFKA cannot fill all of the gaps, it can cushion the blow and help maintain quality in a difficult period.
15. How will the money I give be used?
EFKA provides grants to foster innovation and excellence in the public schools. Grant making is the heart of the Foundation. 97% of Foundation funds go directly to grants.
16. How does the EFKA decide which programs to fund?
Proposals are evaluated according to established criteria, and all grant proposals must have approval of the school principal and, if relevant, the district information technology director. The Grant Committee reviews all proposals and makes recommendations. The Board of Directors makes the final approval.
17. How does EFKA raise money?
Funds are raised from business sponsors, from private foundations and generous individuals, and from community members by direct appeals and through community-wide educational and social events.
18. I would like to help, but money is tight, and the monthly committee meetings don’t work for me. What else can I do?
There are numerous opportunities to contribute. EFKA can use the talents of photographers, videographers, and writers to produce items for the local press and our web site. We need people skilled in computer technology to help us with internal information systems and committee work. We welcome great ideas, whether for new programs, for running our organization, or for managing our growing archive of programs and photos. Have a creative skill you want to share? How about creating a mascot and banner to be used in local parades or designing posters for display on community bulletin boards and in the schools? Are you a big-idea person, or a project-based person? An organized, detail-oriented person? A pitch-in-as-needed person? We are enriched by all! Just send us an email and let us know how to best contact you.
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