FAQs

What is The Bronxville School Foundation (BSF) ?

The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by school parents in 1991. This innovative group of school community members wanted to create a permanent vehicle for raising money for important projects that the District budget could not fund. Then and now, many of these projects are critical to keeping Bronxville School on the forefront of K-12 education. The Foundation is independent from the Bronxville School, but its mission is to support our school and educational excellence in our Village. The Foundation raises money each year through donations from parents, faculty, staff, community members, alumni, corporations and others. These contributions are then used annually to fund grants exclusively for the Bronxville School that provide new equipment, programs, curricular innovations, teacher training and tools that make our school an even stronger academic institution.

Who founded the BSF?

The Foundation was founded in 1991 by school parents working closely with Superintendent Bill Greenham and members of the Board of Education. The founders worked diligently to set up an effective and highly professional volunteer organization that continues to this day.

Who submits grant requests to the BSF?

While the majority of requests come from our teachers and administrators, we also get requests from students and parents. Any community member can submit a request, provided the request is focused on resources for the Bronxville School. We strongly recommend that anyone who is considering writing a grant contact the BSF office or a Board member to discuss the idea first. 

Who decides how the money is spent?

The Foundation has a 30-member Board comprised of 26 volunteer community members plus one designated representative from the PTA, one school board representative, the Superintendent, and the BSF Executive Director. The volunteer community members represent a broad cross section of our overall community including parents of current and former students, alumni, and community members. As representatives for our donors, our Board members take their responsibility of considering grant applications very seriously. We are focused on ensuring that the grants awarded are consistent with the goals of the school and the BSF mission. In March, all of the grant requests are submitted to the BSF and given to the Board to review. We have a rigorous procedure for evaluating grants, and requests are voted on by the BSF Board after a thorough review.

How independent is your grant process from the goals of the administration if you have the Superintendent and a School Board member on your board?

An important reason the BSF has been successful over the years is our close partnership with District administration, faculty, the PTA and the Board of Education. By doing this, we have been able to play a strategic role in prioritizing needs and working toward the common good of the school. This does not mean that the administration or the school board dictates what we choose to fund. Instead, they provide meaningful input into the due diligence process our board undertakes each year on grant applications that helps our board members make informed decisions.

Do most school families give a donation?

In the last five years, an average of roughly forty percent of our school families gave a donation. Since Foundation resources are so critical to the quality of the Bronxville School, and since every student and family benefits from a strong school, our goal is to achieve a higher rate of participation. We need your help with this!

What amount do most people give?

We have individual donations of $25 and some over $25,000. Our average donation is approximately $850. A donation of any amount is appreciated and makes a difference to your child's education and the health of the school and the larger community. It is our sincere hope that seeing the work of the BSF and its direct impact on our children's education will ensure that the BSF is top of mind as you consider where to allocate your giving dollars.  Please also consider checking to see if your employer will match your gift.

How much money do you raise?

Every year, we receive contributions of approximately $500K from donors to the annual community fund drive, the annual Katie Welling Memorial Run/Walk and the alumni drive to support the Foundation. Our donors are school families, alumni, community members, faculty, local businesses, and many others who support our mission. One hundred percent of our board members make a contribution.

How may I get more involved?

We appreciate your efforts to raise awareness of the BSF and the work we do to enrich our children's education. There are numerous events throughout the year so please check back on the Events tab of this page, and please follow us on social media. If you have any ideas, we'd love to hear from you so please reach out to any of our board members. Making a donation, attending an event and spreading the word about what the Foundation does are great ways to become more involved!