CPS foundation seeks larger initial budget as board presses for guardrails and oversight

Board members received an update May 5 on the community fundraising arm that is converting from an alumni/ABC group into the Cincinnati Public Schools Foundation and asked for more detail before approving a larger funding request for next fiscal year.

The foundation’s leadership presented a first‑year fundraising goal of $2,000,000 and a five‑year target of $20,000,000. The foundation’s draft operating budget for fiscal 2026 totaled $1,341,587, higher than the value set in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) the board previously approved, $1,124,963. Assistant Treasurer Mike Guston told the board the higher figure reflects planned staff and operating costs, including rent and a modest moving allowance if the foundation relocates office space in 2026.

Board members asked for specific guardrails on how foundation dollars would align with district priorities and for a comparative benchmark of fundraising overhead. Board member Lindy urged benchmarking the foundation’s fundraising costs against other school foundations’ 990 filings. Board member Craig said the superintendent should lead on district priorities and warned individual board members’ project pitches could skew the foundation’s agenda. Vice President Bolton emphasized consistent vocabulary and messaging to avoid confusion with levy and public funding discussions.

Superintendent Murphy and Guston said the MOU language allows the parties to agree on a different annual contribution but that, if the parties do not agree, the MOU number would default to $1,124,963. Guston said the foundation’s current budget assumes it will continue renting outside district facilities through March 2026 and that a move into district space, if approved, would likely occur in July 2026.

Board members directed the administration to gather additional information: clearer line‑item justification for the proposed $1,341,587 budget, details on rent and in‑kind support options, a plan for evaluating fundraising overhead, and a timeline for when the foundation will report fundraising priorities back to the board. The board did not take a final vote on the revised amount at the meeting; administration said the foundation budget line will be part of the district’s overall fiscal 2026 budget request the board will vote on in June.

Why this matters: The foundation will solicit private funds for programs the district otherwise would not be able to sustain with general revenue. Board members said they want transparency on costs, donor restrictions and how private fundraising will interact with public budget priorities before committing to a higher contribution.

What’s next: Board members asked the foundation to return with its prioritized fundraising categories in June and requested the administration provide a written breakdown linking the foundation’s proposed expenses to district budget categories.