News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sisters school programs, ranging from elementary school technology to middle school science to high school band, got a financial shot in the arm from the Sisters Schools Foundation last week.
The foundation distributed $42,900 from funds raised last year, primarily by the Sisters Starry Nights Concert Series.
Sisters Elementary School received a total of $10,300, with $3,000 going to technology such as digital cameras, a scanner, computers and seed money for the school's Technology Fair. The school also received $4,000 for library supplies in the media center.
Foundation funds cannot pay for salaries and requests that fall under the rubric of capital improvement funding are routinely denied. For example, the foundation left unfunded a request for $5,000 for parking lot lighting at the elementary school.
Sisters Middle School's music program got a huge boost from a $7,000 grant to purchase band instruments, including a tuba, a bass saxophone and a timpani set. The science program received a $2,000.
Overall, the middle school received $15,850.
Actual grants are generally less than the amounts requested for programs. For example, the $7,000 music grant was allocated based on a request for $12,100.
The foundation's board of directors makes the allocations after reviewing detailed requests for funds.
"We really try to look at 'How many kids is this going to affect over how long a period?'" said foundation president Rod Morris.
According to Morris, there is a certain tilt toward the arts, since the bulk of the funds come from the Sisters Starry Nights Concert Series and the performers who donate their time do so in support of the arts.
Other programs clearly benefit as well. Athletics programs, which always have a high fund-raising profile, receive some foundation support. At Sisters High School, the foundation provided $4,000, to be distributed among all the sports programs through a formula based on participation.
The science programs, choir, Freshman Academy and home economics were among the programs sharing in a $16,750 allocation at Sisters High School.
In addition to the funds distributed to programs, the foundation set aside 25 percent of its income, or $15,000, in an endowment that is designed to eventually make the foundation self-sustaining.
The foundation sets aside some funds to cover its required annual audit and annual report and about $6,000 will be available for distribution later in the year.
"Things come up that aren't apparent now," Morris noted.
Morris reported that income to the foundation is up from last year.
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