18 Jan 2021 NSDF Wrap Up from President Anthony Moran
Thank you again for your 2021 support for our Northshore students.
We are so grateful.
In the past 26 years, your donations to the Foundation have funded grants of more than $3 million to inspire students and teachers, enhance curriculum, remove barriers for learning, and help students build skills to be successful after graduation. That’s an incredible number, and a testament both to the generosity of this community and our shared commitment to high-quality, public education.
Thanks to your partnership during 2021, we were able to make a critical difference for students and teachers across the district.
- Emergency COVID response funds went out to 186 Northshore families.
- More than 750 students received backpacks and supply kits thanks to donations and grant funding to replenish the Removing Barriers Fund.
- Community donations resulted in 48 classroom grants at 21 Northshore schools as well as funding the third (and final) year of the district-wide Art Docent curriculum refresh and supporting the whole district with a digital magazine subscription, and world language libraries.
- As well, 37 Northshore Gives projects were directly crowd-funded. (The Foundation contributed the last dollars necessary to six of those projects to get them fully funded.)
The Foundation does not do this work alone – it would simply be impossible – and we’re grateful to work in close collaboration with the cities of Bothell and Kenmore; with community and civic organizations, and with generous corporate sponsors.
We recognize that we are in a position of trust in this community, and we take that responsibility very seriously.
The Foundation is in the good company of just 52 nonprofits in Washington State to receive the top-rated designation from Great Nonprofits. And, we’ve attained the GuideStar Gold Seal of Transparency.
We were honored to be recognized with a nomination for the “Outstanding Human Services Program of the Year” award from North Urban Human Services Alliance (NUHSA) who said, “The Foundation responded to the pandemic in creative, innovative ways by expanding its programs and developing innovative partnerships to more directly and effectively support its students, families, teachers, staff, and the community at large.”
Work continues towards our goal of granting $5 million by the end of 2025. That is a challenging goal, but it is one that our Board believes meets the demands of these times. Public education is not fully funded in Washington State. So, with your support, it’s our mission to keep filling the critical gaps for Northshore students.
The Foundation will continue to listen and adjust to provide what educators and students need most. The work of the amazing Youth Advisory Board, now in its second year, is a tremendous help in that effort.
Right now, based on feedback and committee work, we are rolling out changes to our Skills For Life initiatives in 2022. We’re talking to music educators across the district about student needs. We’re creating a means of making algebra a viable option for every Northshore student by the 8th grade. And we’ll be adding our voices in support of the upcoming education bond and levies.
There is much to do and your patronage makes it all possible.
We don’t know exactly what the future holds, but we do know that the Northshore Schools Foundation will be here, whatever it brings.
Thank you for walking alongside us in this venture.
Anthony Moran
President, 2020-2022
Northshore Schools Foundation
P.S. We are making a change to our overall database system. Over the next few months, you will notice changes in how you access your giving account, the giving link to your favorite projects, and a few other things. It means you may have to re-register but please know that we are making this change to increase our efficiency (and our impact!). If you have any issues at all please contact Emily Fisher Emily@nsdfoundation.org, and she will take great care of you.