The Jefferson Foundation

Impact Statement

The Jefferson Foundation serves the Jefferson County Public School District west of Denver, including the cities of Arvada, Conifer, Edgewater, Evergreen, Golden, Lakewood, Littleton, Wheat Ridge, and Westminster, as well as a handful of schools in Bailey, Broomfield and Denver.

Our mission is purposefully tied to the school district because one of the core values of the Foundation is to plan grantmaking and program support based on the needs of schools and students, not on the desires of donors, board members or staff. For example, the current strategic grantmaking focus on closing achievement gaps and increasing graduation rates is the direct result of an informal needs assessment undertaken by the Foundation at the start of the 2009-2010 school year. By focusing grantmaking toward programs and projects that are focused on achievement gaps and graduation rates, the Foundation can continue to have a greater impact.

Background Statement

The Jefferson Foundation is the oldest continuous 501c3 nonprofit education foundation in Colorado. As as independent nonprofit organization, it raises funds, develops strategic partnerships and supports important programs and projects that enhance public education in Jefferson County. With more than 84,000 students and 12,500 employees, Jeffco Public Schools is the largest school district in the state. The Foundation was incorporated by the state in 1983 by a group of community members and educators who wanted to bridge public and private resources for education. With the support of businesses and individuals from around the Denver-metropolitan area, the Foundation in 2010 enters its 27th year with a new strategic focus and emphasis on accountability and innovation while continuing to uphold our mission to support Jeffco Public Schools in preparing all students for a successful future.

The Jefferson Foundation is unique among Colorado's education foundations in our relationship with the school district we serve. While the Foundation is a separate entity with its own 501c3 status from the IRS and independent incorporation with the Colorado Secretary of State, it works to be as responsive to the needs of students in the school district as possible. The Superintendent of the district and a member of the district's Board of Education both serve as ex offico members of the Foundation's Board of Directors, and the Board is filled with parents, teachers and other community stakeholders from around Jefferson County.

Executive Director Statement

Jeffco Public Schools welcomed the members of the class of 2022 to kindergarten this year- more than 6,000 five-year-olds who, in a mere 12 years, will look around Jefferson County and find it filled with their own memories of childhood, all set against the backdrop of our schools.

I am so thankful for the donations, sponsorships and volunteer time contributed to the Foundation to make our work possible. We are renewing our mission of supporting Jeffco Public Schools to prepare every child for a successful futre by focusing on programs that close achievement gaps and increase greaduation rates. We owe all our kids- from new kindergartners up to our high school seniors- the best possible experience we can offer.

Board Chair/President Statement

Safe, meaningful after school activities, school supplies, job training opportunities for high school student, grants for teachers and classroom projects, focused programming for arts and literacy- these are just a few examples fo the kinds of support that The Jefferson Foundation provides to the youth and employees of Jeffco Public Schools.

For the last 25 years, The Jefferson Foundation has provided enriching experiences for Jeffco Students. Those experiences are made possible through the fundraising efforts of the Foundation and with the continued support of our donors.

The future of the Foundation is very exciting. Thank you for your interest in supporting the work of The Jefferson Foundation, your generous support makes it possible for every Jeffco student to to enjoy all of the enriching and positive opportunities that the Foundation can bring to their education.