It’s taken a while, but money has begun to trickle into the Georgia Foundation for Public Education, a little-known entity with big hopes of raising money for public education in Georgia.
Authorized through state legislation in 2010, the foundation has raised $70,798 from individuals and companies that, by law, must be used to enhance public education in Georgia.
Specifically, the money will be used for the lieutenant governor’s Healthy Kids Program, teacher recognition programs, the Georgia School for the Deaf, the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf, the Georgia Academy for the Blind and the governor's Honors Program.
“The long-term impact and assistance that the foundation can provide, if successful, will be twofold: first, to raise awareness and promote the positive impact that the beneficiaries provide in educational excellence in Georgia,” said Brad Bryant, executive director of the foundation. “The second benefit is that of strengthening the investment of -- and in -- the beneficiaries.
"We do that through attracting new resources -- individual, corporate and philanthropic -- to be collectively blended with government resource streams for a stronger collective impact.”
Foundations such as Georgia's new one have had various levels of success. The Florida Education Foundation has raised $5.6 million since 1987, according to its most recent tax filings. The South Carolina Public Education Foundation, started in 1990, raised $620,820 in 2009 and $559,000 in 2008.
In establishing a foundation that can solicit and receive gifts, Georgia is not only following in the path of other states but it is moving in the direction of colleges and universities across the nation, whose foundations have billions in assets.
Despite their massive holdings, college and university foundations rarely face much public scrutiny. Bryant said transparency will be a big part of how the GFPE conducts itself.
Donations to the foundation are tax deductible.
The foundation sought an Internal Revenue Service ruling to clarify its status as a tax-free arm of the state. Bryant said the foundation took about a year to resolve that ruling. Some donations came in during that time, Bryant said, but the real work of the foundation is just beginning.
Foundation board members will meet this summer to set fundraising goals for its beneficiaries.
Recently, Home Depot made a $10,000 gift to the Georgia School for the Deaf by providing materials for dormitory renovation.
Without the foundation, Bryant said such a gift would have to be received by the state Department of Education, discussed at a board meeting and voted on by board members.
Now, individuals and corporations can specify how they want to help public education in Georgia and go through the foundation to direct that assistance.
Melissa Williams, coordinator of curriculum and instruction at the Georgia School for the Deaf, said Home Depot's assistance has been monumental and has spurred others pitch in.
Williams recently helped plan two-day renovation fair with volunteers from Home Depot, the school and the community pitching in to renovate the school.
She said having Home Depot be able to direct funding to the school is a big help, especially during these tough budgetary times.
"It's like an extreme makeover," Williams said of the renovation.
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