The Santa Monica Education Foundation awarded a $2.52 million grant to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District at the district's Aug. 14 Board of Education meeting, marking another milestone in the foundation's growing support for local public education.
The grant represents funds raised through the foundation's 2024-25 annual fund campaign, which generated $2.409 million — a 10% increase from the previous year's approximately $2.2 million total. The funding also draws from three foundation endowments and the Samohi Scholarship Fund to support academics, arts and athletics across all Santa Monica public schools for the 2025-26 school year.
"Every dollar given this past year is a direct investment in our students' futures," said Raymur Flinn, executive director of the Santa Monica Education Foundation. "In a time when public funding falls short of what our children deserve, our donors have stepped up to ensure vibrant, enriching programs remain a core part of a Santa Monica education."
The foundation's fundraising success was driven by record-breaking community participation and innovative fundraising events. The organization's 10th Annual Santa Monica Wine Auction in May raised a record $435,000 in a single evening, held in partnership with the Fairmont Miramar Hotel.
Parent and family participation grew by 17% compared to the previous year, with 2,404 total donors contributing to the campaign — averaging about $980 per donor. Approximately one-third of Santa Monica families donated by the campaign's initial deadline of Jan. 31, 2024, prompting an extended fundraising push through spring 2024.
Corporate support also reached new heights, with the Corporate Heroes sponsorship program contributing $340,741 — an 80% increase from the previous year. Twenty-seven business partners participated in the program, helping offset a slight 4% decrease in contributions from some major individual donors.
The grant funding will support a wide range of educational programs. At the elementary level, the money funds art classes at every school, instructional assistants and enrichment grants that allow each school to design specialized programs in areas including Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, academics and social-emotional learning.
Secondary schools will benefit from college readiness programs, expanded STEM offerings and additional arts programs. The foundation also manages the Samohi Scholarship Fund, which provides more than $200,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors at Santa Monica High School.
"We are deeply appreciative of this extraordinary show of support from our community," said Jen Smith, president of the SMMUSD Board of Education. "These funds open the door to programs and opportunities our students would not otherwise have, including arts, STEM, athletics and social-emotional learning."
The funding breakdown includes approximately $1.8 million for annually funded staff and programs, $361,000 for endowment-funded programs ensuring long-term arts and enrichment support, $128,000 for athletics programs district-wide, and $120,000 for the Samohi Scholarship Fund.
Smith emphasized the partnership's broader impact, saying the collaboration with the Santa Monica Education Foundation "reflects a shared commitment to providing every student in Santa Monica with the tools and experiences they need to thrive."
The foundation's upward fundraising trend represents a strategic shift toward broader community participation rather than relying solely on major donors. This approach has proven successful, with overall fundraising growing by more than 10% since the pandemic and enabling more robust support for school programs.
Established in 1982 by parents, community leaders and local business owners, the Santa Monica Education Foundation has consistently worked to enhance and supplement the curriculum of Santa Monica schools. The organization's mission focuses on engaging the community to invest in educational experiences for all public school students in Santa Monica.
The foundation's success in the 2024-25 campaign demonstrates the community's continued commitment to public education excellence, ensuring that funding gaps don't compromise the quality of education available to Santa Monica students.
Flinn noted that the foundation's work "strengthens not just our schools, but our entire community," highlighting the broader impact of educational investment on the Santa Monica area.