As a 501(c)(3), The Foundation helps close gaps in public and state funding by providing a sustainable stream of private-sector funds to support the needs of 20,000 students in 28 schools in 6 cities for Palm Springs Unified School District.
ABOUT US
Originally established in 2008 as The Pinnacle Fund, The Foundation in its early years had a focus on "putting arts and technology in the classroom." It operated independently from the district, and was run by a 100% volunteer staff.
In 2013, The Pinnacle Fund was retooled and reinvigorated as a district-supported nonprofit called The Foundation for Palm Springs Unified School District with a full-time Foundation Director and administrative staff. As a 501(c)(3), The Foundation was tasked with developing a sustainable stream of private-sector funds to support students within the six cities* served by PSUSD. These funds help close gaps in public and state funding and provide innovative opportunities for student futures. Today The Foundation continues to operate as a nonprofit in support of the district, under the supervision of the Superintendent, with District representation on The Foundation’s Board of Directors.
*Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, and Thousand Palms.
The Foundation Today
The establishment of The Foundation for the Palm Springs Unified School District represents a strategic initiative on the part of the district to fund curriculum-enhancing activities, ensure high-quality education and create opportunities in the areas of health and wellness, science, math, technology, and the arts.
The Foundation’s original mandate of distributing classroom micro-grants to teachers – still a key component of its work – has been expanded to include donor-naming opportunities; commercial and business underwriting of specialized curriculum academies; formal appeals to venture philanthropists; major donors; aggressive grant-seeking; and the formulation of local and national sponsorship opportunities.
Importantly, The Foundation aims to improve lives and strengthen our community through furthering public education. We believe every student in the Palm Springs Unified School District deserves the opportunity to be prepared and to succeed in either postsecondary education or in a career after high school.