What Happened When We Focused on “Every Family, Every Gift”

This year we tried something a little different with the Keep Excellent Education Programs (KEEP) campaign, and we're grateful for how the community embraced it. The campaign slogan was Every Family, Every Gift. Instead of anchoring the annual fundraising campaign to a dollar target, participation was the goal. A lot of families giving something is a healthier foundation than relying on any one segment of donors. We also asked families to share their priorities, helping the LPEF Board decide where the money should go. It was reassuring to see family priorities land squarely in line with those coming from the district.

The community showed up in a way that genuinely moved us. Families giving to LPEF — through either the gala auction or KEEP — grew from 127 to 187, bringing district participation to 57%. At Loma Elementary, it hit 72%. A meaningful chunk were first-time donors joining our incredible base of returning supporters. Thank you, truly, to everyone who gave. (And it’s never too late! We accept donations all year long at LPEF.org.)

• Total raised: Approx $350,000 (vs. approx $300,000 last year)

• Median KEEP donation: $264

One of the clearest bright spots was employer matching. This year, we received $40,000 from Apple alone, largely due to their double-match promotion. We’re grateful to the families who took the extra step to submit matches to their employer—it's one of the most impactful ways to give.

So what will students experience next year as a result of this community effort?

While these priorities still need to be approved by the school board, LPEF is planning to fund:

• Art at Loma Elementary and CT English (in combination with Prop 28 funding)

• Developmental P.E. at Loma Elementary

• A 12th classroom teacher at Loma Elementary

• Expanded computer science elective at CT

• K–5 music (dependent on staffing)

• 7th grade Spanish

Taken together, these programs reflect what families said they value: a well-rounded education that supports academics, creativity, movement, and individualized attention.

Looking ahead, this year feels like a meaningful step toward a more sustainable model. Participation will likely remain a central metric, paired with clearer storytelling about impact. The survey will continue to evolve as a tool for both listening and accountability. And we'll keep beating the drum on employer matching.

There's still room to grow, particularly in reaching more CT families and continuing to simplify the giving experience. But this year demonstrated that when more of the community is involved, the campaign becomes more resilient, more representative, and more true to what KEEP is all about.