At the meeting, Ben Worley, assistant executive director of the foundation, presented a revised financial report that separated restricted scholarship and grant funds from unrestricted balances. Worley said prior accounting presentation had mixed restricted interest income with unrestricted line items, making available funds appear larger than they actually are; after adjustments, he reported about $24,000 available in unrestricted funds and approximately $106,000 in designated (restricted) funds earmarked for student wellness and Jubilee of Trees programs.
Board members reviewed recent revenue from the golf tournament and the ATV ride and noted pending reimbursements from a Northrop Grumman grant. Members discussed setting a policy for how much tournament revenue to spend versus carry forward — options included a fixed dollar cushion, a percentage of revenue, or waiting until after events to finalize approvals. The board favored clearer guidance so teacher grant approvals do not exceed collectible funds.
Fundraising and donor recognition were a substantial part of the discussion. The board approved adding a platinum sponsorship level to the corporate donor flyer; members suggested tangible recognition options — banners in school common areas, program ads, a sponsor wall with QR codes, and coordinated recognition at concerts and athletics events — while being careful not to conflict with school or booster fundraising programs. Members recommended developing a sponsorship package that specifies what donors receive at each tier and then approaching local businesses.
Jamie Kent, executive director, proposed documenting teacher projects with photos and short reports and sharing them on the foundation website to highlight impact; board members agreed and suggested requiring project documentation as part of future grant applications.
Staff will circulate the new sponsorship flyer, update web photos, and work with athletics and school committees to avoid overlapping sponsorship recognition. The finance team will finalize the updated report and provide reimbursements tied to restricted grants where appropriate.