Irvington Education Foundation

40 North Broadway --- Irvington, New York 10533 --- (914) 591-8528




SUMMARY

The Irvington Education Foundation is a not-for-profit charitable organization established for the purpose of enhancing public education in the town of Irvington, a community located 20 miles north of New York City in Westchester County, with a school age population of approximately 2000. The purpose of the Irvington Education Foundation is to raise funds and regrant them to the Irvington schools to support significant projects and activities designed to enrich the education of community children. The Foundation serves as a vehicle for the Irvington community to stimulate and encourage students, faculty, administrators, parents and others to explore new ways of meaningfully augmenting the school curriculum.


BACKGROUND

The Irvington Education Foundation was founded in 1996 by citizens of the community with the support of the Irvington Board of Education. The Foundation is a not-for-profit 501 (c)3 tax-exempt charitable organization incorporated in the State of New York. It is modeled on the successful operation of similar foundations across the United States through which many communities have risen to the challenge of supporting public education with private dollars. In Westchester alone, dozens of communities, including Bronxville, Briarcliff Manor, Dobbs Ferry, and Chappaqua, have successfully launched community campaigns to develop independent, voluntary sources of funding in order to support projects, materials, and equipment which could otherwise not be funded. The Directors of the Irvington Education Foundation are confident that such an undertaking is of tremendous benefit to the Irvington community as well.


MISSION

The Irvington Education Foundation raises and distributes funds for programs that enrich the educational experiences of the district’s children above and beyond the limits of the public school budget.


PROGRAMS and PROJECTS

The Foundation funds diverse programs activities, and resources which are currently outside the school budget and provide the greatest benefit to the education of Irvington school children. The Foundation awards grants for projects that fall within the following guidelines:


Requests for grant proposals are solicited from teaches, administrators, parents, students, and community members, and encompass a wide spectrum of interests, including the creative and applied arts, science, history, literature, technology, and physical education.


GOVERNANCE

The Irvington Education Foundation is comprised of a volunteer Board of Directors (not to exceed 25 members) which includes the Superintendent of Schools, a representative of the Board of Education, and a Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) delegate who serve as ex-officio members. The Irvington Education Foundation reviews applications and proposals from teachers, administrators students and members of the community. The Foundation subsequently submits its recommendation for funding to the Board of Education, which, as required by law, has final approval over all awards.


COMMUNITY BENEFITS

The Irvington Education Foundation serves to strengthen the community's commitment to excellence. By funding programs and projects which would otherwise not have been affordable within the district's budget, children's lives are, and will continue to be, enriched by participation in new experiences and opportumties, and the community will be all the richer for its well educated citizenry. Businesses in the community and the greater metropolitan region will similarly benefit firom this investment in the families of their present and future emphasis.


Since its inception in 1996 the IEF has granted approximately $1 million dollars to the school district and hopes to continue well into the future. In 2003, the IEF established an endowment, which will provide continuing support for present and future generations of Irvington children.

Nationally Recognized

Schools of Excellence


Last Update 1/30/05