D21 Education Foundation reports record classroom grants and financial improvements
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Summary
Kelsey Olshheimer told the board the Education Foundation awarded a record 22 classroom mini-grants this year (impacting about 1,200 students), has distributed over $45,000 in the past five years and received a $15,000 Google grant; the foundation is moving records to QuickBooks and undergoing an audit.
Kelsey Olshheimer, administrative director of the North Wasco County School District 21 Education Foundation, presented the 2024-25 annual report and highlighted grant activity and organizational improvements.
Olshheimer said the foundation's classroom mini-grants—its largest program since 2017—distributed more than $45,000 in the last five years and that this year a record 22 grants were awarded, reaching approximately 1,200 students. She said most grants supported STEM, literacy, arts, wellness and career-connected learning, and noted a $15,000 grant from Google helped fund this year's grants.
The foundation also administers the Golden Apple Awards (annual educator recognitions that included cash awards) and provides fiscal sponsorship for several school-affiliated booster clubs and community projects. Olshheimer told trustees the foundation has migrated bookkeeping to QuickBooks Online, hired a new CPA and has an audit underway to strengthen financial transparency.
Board members thanked Olshheimer for the foundation's role filling classroom gaps and noted personal examples of students benefiting from mini-grants. Trustees expressed interest in receiving the foundation's detailed financials once the audit is complete.
What happens next: foundation staff will continue the audit and refine reporting; trustees encouraged community outreach to grow donors and expand grant reach.