BASD Foundation reports 30% increase in donations, $30,502 raised at Dancing with the Stars fundraiser

Aubrey Thompson, chair of the BASD Foundation, updated the Burlington Area School District board on the nonprofit's second-year results and near-term plans. "The mission of the BASD Foundation is to support equitable access for educational and extracurricular activities for the school district, by providing an accessible centralized donation platform," Thompson said. She reported total annual donations of $65,220 and said the organization increased donations by about 30% in its second year.

Thompson described several specific programs the foundation has supported and expanded: a staff grant program that awarded just over $9,600 in the first half of 2026, student sponsorships that rose by 24%, and the Dancing with the Stars fundraiser, which raised $30,502. "We did our Dancing with the Stars of Burlington event, and it was fantastic," she told the board, adding plans are already set for March 6, 2027 at Veterans Terrace. Thompson said sponsorships accounted for $8,815 of the total and grants for $9,657 in the reported period. Board members asked for more granular splits between athletic and nonathletic requests; Thompson offered to provide specific numbers on request.

The foundation's leaders asked for continued collaboration with district staff to identify needs, and said they plan to scale grant outreach and improve event logistics, including live streaming and online voting for next year's fundraiser. The board thanked the foundation for its work and acknowledged the group's donation of $65,220 for the 2026-27 school year.