District says partnerships have brought $55 million and 650 partners to Saint Vrain

Hillary Sontag, the district's executive director of advancement and strategic partnerships, told the board Feb. 25 that Saint Vrain's partnership program has matured into a major source of program funding and support.

Sontag said the district has partnered with about 650 corporate, philanthropic, nonprofit and government organizations over the past eight years and has raised more than $55,000,000 to support programs that would otherwise require general-fund dollars or reserves. "Through those partnerships, we have raised more than $55,000,000 funding that would otherwise have been unavailable, come from our general fund, or have been pulled from our reserves," she said.

The nut graf: the partnerships are structured to align with the district's strategic priorities and Sontag said the district rejects many offers that do not fit those priorities to ensure sustainability. She presented fundraising-efficiency metrics, saying the district averages about 3 to 4 cents in cost to raise each dollar, which she described as highly efficient compared with common benchmarks.

Sontag cited examples of recent grants: the Weld Trust provided investments for STEM and arts in Weld County schools (student fee waivers, equipment, coaching stipends and travel funds), and a Reynolds Foundation grant will support design-thinking and financial-literacy work in pre-K'8 grades. Board members and the superintendent praised Sontag's work and noted the value of those partnerships in expanding programming without drawing on operating reserves.

Sontag invited trustees and the public to see partnership work at district events and emphasized coordination across principals, area superintendents, program leaders and grant staff.