BELLEVUE SCHOOLS FOUNDATION
Transforming Education. Supporting Students.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
PreK-8 Computer Science
This 5-year $1.3 million initiative is developing a District Pathway for K–12 computer science with an emphasis on the inclusion of at-risk or underrepresented groups, including girls and students of color. It includes both computer science lessons in core science and mathematics courses that all students take, and additional computer science electives at the secondary level.
Early Learning
On any given day, there are 200-300 Bellevue School District (BSD) students experiencing homelessness. Many more are low-income, and unable to afford our system’s pre-school programs. For that reason, the Foundation provides 30 children in need with tuition-free slots to attend high-quality BSD preschools, giving them a chance to overcome potential adverse effects and improve long-term education and health outcomes.
Mental Health
On average 20% of student will demonstrate some form of mental health disorder during their school years. This 5-year $450,000 initiative will train 40+ staff to assess and support students’ mental health. Mental health assessments will reach 5,000 Middle and High School students each year, and students will have broader access to individual and group counseling.
National Board Certification
Bellevue leads the State in the number of Nationally Board Certified teachers in the District. More than 400 teachers have received certification, with the help of the Foundation. National Board Certification is the “gold standard” for teaching; it has a direct impact on transforming classrooms and improving student learning.
Arts, Enrichment, and Innovation Grants
Each year the Foundation invests thousands of dollars in classroom grants to teachers. Teachers have few opportunities to obtain resources to enhance classroom learning. Arts, Enrichment, and Innovation (AE&I) grants enhance students’ education with innovative learning opportunities in and out of the classroom, such as music, field trips, visiting authors and artists, STEM, innovative tools, books, and more.
Inspiration & Incubation (i2) Grants
New grant program to fund inspiring projects that involve multiple schools, pilot new curriculum or instruction, engage students in critical issues, involve youth in service of other students/schools, or build school communities and partnerships.
Arts, Enrichment & Innovation Grants
Enhances students' education with innovative learning opportunities in and out of the classroom, including field trips, visiting authors and artists, innovative tools, books, and more.
Community Engagement
The Foundation sponsors a monthly Education Connection lecture series from September to April, on topics ranging from social emotional health to the funding model of the Bellevue School District. Education Connections events link people with our programs. They create an opportunity for dialogue between our educators, parents, and community about the special activities that the Bellevue Schools Foundation sponsors in the District.
BOOM
BOOM (Breaking Out of the Margins) is a BIPOC-focused opportunity for secondary students to engage in meaningful, facilitated conversations that center issues that are of most importance to them. The Foundation supports BOOM events, which are intended to inspire, build community and provide opportunity to connect with leaders of color so that each and every BSD student can reach their full potential.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsNumber of students showing interest in topics related to STEM
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
PreK-8 Computer Science
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total funding raised
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total number of grants awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
These are broad categories of grants we award. There are many mini-grants in two of these categories and they can vary from year to year.
Total dollar amount of grants awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of books distributed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of people who received clinical mental health care
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Established in 1979, Bellevue Schools Foundation (BSF) is the 1st foundation dedicated to supporting public K-12 initiatives in Washington State. Our mission is to promote and fund the best possible learning opportunities for all students in Bellevue’s public schools. As a pillar in the community, the Foundation is uniquely positioned to be a catalytic agent of positive change and advancement in the public education sector. The Bellevue School District serves approximately 20,000 students, enrolled in 29 schools, and the Foundation’s investments allow students to achieve higher levels of academic success and social-emotional well-being, regardless of language, gender, race, socioeconomic status, and special needs. With over 100 languages spoken in the District and 125 countries of birth represented, Bellevue Schools Foundation is committed to expanding funding for racial equity and amplifying the diverse voices and strengths of students and families within the Bellevue community.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Distributing grants throughout the Bellevue School District community.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
BELLEVUE SCHOOLS FOUNDATION
Board of directorsas of 02/01/2024
Stephanie Ferguson
Microsoft
Term: 2022 - 2023
Kimberly Walker
Amazon
Matthew Scher
Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
Stephanie Ferguson
Microsoft
Allison Frey
Chris Marks
Community Volunteer
Malinda Elien
Fresh Consulting
Garrett Fenton
Microsoft
Deepa Patten
Community Volunteer
Chandana Surlu
Microsoft (retired)
Deb Grover
Community Volunteer
Rachel Li
Regency Pacific
Chelsea Lientz
CLT Strategy
Susan Ishii-Yin
Community Volunteer and Designer
Maria Barrios
Brand Motif
Renuka Getchell
Windermere
Jerry Nguyen
Cognitive Consulting
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/05/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.