Loma Prieta Foundation shifts 'Keep' campaign to participation model; reports about $175,000 year-to-date

The Loma Prieta Foundation provided a fundraising update and described a revised strategy to increase participation in its annual 'Keep' campaign.

LPF representative (speaker 14) said the group has sold more than 100 tickets for an upcoming community-night fundraiser and intends to shift the 'Keep' campaign away from emphasizing large donations to increasing family participation. The foundation plans to simplify suggested donations to $1,200 per child (framing that as $100 per month) and to incentivize participation with weekly prizes and class-level incentives. "We're switching it to a participation percentage," the LPF representative said, explaining the goal is to raise the participation rate (current donations participation around 40%) toward benchmarks seen in comparable districts (up to 75%).

The board asked for historical pre‑COVID participation data; LPF said older pre‑2020 participation records are not readily available after fundraising-platform changes, but members estimated participation was roughly similar in some years. Trustees thanked LPF for the work; a board member said the organization has already raised a meaningful amount year to date—"We're probably around $175,000," the LPF representative said—while noting the foundation will finalize campaign goals after community input and review with district staff.

Why it matters: Improving small-dollar participation can broaden community support and make fundraising more sustainable; the foundation's strategy change could also affect program funding and family engagement going into the next school year.