What is the Educational Enrichment Fund?
Established in 1997, the EEF is an advised fund of the Finger Lakes Area Community Endowment (FLACE), a 501 c (3) organization. This means two important things:
- EEF donations are completely tax-deductible
- Transactions of the fund are subject to oversight by financial professionals at Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Company who monitor all FLACE accounts
The EEF supports the mission of the Canandaigua City School District by providing enhanced learning resources and enrichment opportunities not ordinarily provided for in the operating budget of the school district.
EEF programs are supported by contributions from the general public, matching grants (public, corporate, or private individual), and payroll deductions from CCSD faculty and staff. These monies are used to benefit the children only while they are enrolled as students in the Canandaigua City School District. Monies support unique program proposals developed by district teachers and residents.
Why was the EEF established?
The Canandaigua City School District is committed to excellence and providing the best academic programs possible. However, cost constraints often limit innovative or unique educational opportunities for students. The EEF provides financial support to encourage and reward creativity and outstanding teaching which enhances the learning experiences of Canandaigua students. The EEF's mission is to provide for special educational initiatives that cannot be funded at a meaningful scale through the district's operating budget.
How does the EEF work?
In order to ensure the quality of the unique educational opportunities funded by the EEF, a careful review process has been established. An EEF Advisory Committee, comprised of representatives from the Board of Education, school administration, staff, faculty, and district residents oversees this process:
- Donations to the EEF are solicited and deposited in the EEF's FLACE account.
- The Advisory Committee solicits and accepts applications for EEF funding each year from teachers, students, parents and community members.
- The committee reviews the merits of each application and determines the amount of support for each worthy project that is selected.
- All funding allocations are derived from the interest earnings of the endowment fund. EEF principal is not reduced in order to fund projects.
What kinds of project proposals are approved?
Funded projects must be above and beyond curricular expectation and not normally included in the District's operating budget. Monies allocated to approved projects may be used to purchase equipment, but they may not be used for capital improvements or personnel costs. Most approved projects are targeted to meet specific educational needs or opportunities. The Advisory Committee looks for new ideas and creative ways to meet educational needs not served in the general operating budget.
An EEF application form must be submitted for project consideration.
All project applications will be considered, and all persons submitting an application will be contacted by the Advisory Committee regarding approval or whether additional materials are required.
Since its inception in 1997, the EEF has awarded over $186,000 to support innovative learning opportunities for our students. Every grant made is supplemental to the District's annual operating budget.
