October Newsletter: Investing in Educators. Inspiring What's Next.

October 31, 2025

Our October newsletter celebrates community momentum and educator innovation across San Francisco’s public schools. Together, we raised over $600,000 at our Back-to-School Gala last month, bringing nearly 300 supporters together in action for students. The SF Ed Fund also awarded $200,000 in Educator Impact Grants to fund 22 educator-led projects designed to boost belonging, attendance, and social-emotional learning. High-impact tutoring is now reaching 891 K-2 students across eight schools, with even more support coming soon for grades 3-5, and the San Francisco Literacy Coalition welcomed Step Up Tutoring as its newest partner provider. Volunteer stories like Chris Fitzsimmons’s remind us how powerful consistent engagement can be, and we’re calling on new volunteers to join us for CS Week (Dec. 8-12) — now with a focus on AI. Final volunteer trainings of the year take place in early November, and our One-Day Volunteers Program launches this spring to make it easier than ever to support San Francisco’s students and educators.

SF Ed Fund Awards $200,000 in Educator Impact Grants for 2025-26

October 27, 2025

This school year, the San Francisco Education Fund will be distributing $200,000 in Educator Impact Grants to teachers and school staff across SFUSD. These grants empower educators to design and lead innovative projects that make a meaningful difference in their school communities — fostering belonging, improving attendance, supporting social and emotional learning, and strengthening teacher retention.

Back-to-School Gala 2025: Voices of Our Schools in Action

September 29, 2025

On September 25, nearly 300 supporters, educators, and community partners came together at the San Francisco Education Fund’s 2025 Back-to-School Gala to celebrate the Voices of Our Schools — and to take action for San Francisco’s students. Together, we raised over $600,000, surpassing our goal and ensuring more students, teachers, and schools have the resources they need to thrive.

SF Ed Fund Honors Guadalupe Elementary with the Glady Thacher Award

September 26, 2025

At its annual Back-to-School Gala, the San Francisco Education Fund (SF Ed Fund) presented the Glady Thacher Award to Guadalupe Elementary School in recognition of the school’s extraordinary advancement of student success and sense of belonging.This year’s award carries special meaning, as the SF Ed Fund remembers and honors its beloved founder, Gladys “Glady” Thacher, who passed away in April. She was 95. A lifelong advocate for public education and social justice, Glady’s vision of equity, innovation, and collaboration continues to guide the organization’s mission and inspire its work with schools across San Francisco.

September Newsletter: Building Belonging this School Year

September 18, 2025

Our September newsletter highlights a season of renewed momentum for San Francisco’s public schools. The SF Ed Fund helped unveil Everett Middle School’s $6M renovated schoolyard — a new oasis for students and families — while expanding educator wellness through the Room to Breathe Project, now reaching 874 educators across 16 schools. Applications are open for Educator Impact Grants and Awesome Fund Grants, empowering teachers and students to strengthen belonging and creativity. The San Francisco Literacy Coalition launches its fall professional learning series and convening on October 7, and we’re calling on new volunteers to join our tutoring, mentoring, and mindfulness programs. Plus, don’t miss Spruce’s Back-to-School Bake Sale on September 13 and our Back-to-School Gala: Voices of Our Schools on September 25 — two ways to celebrate and support our city’s educators and students.

Everett Middle School Celebrates Yard Transformation in Partnership Between SFUSD, SFPUC, and SF Ed Fund

August 22, 2025

The San Francisco Unified School District’s (SFUSD) Everett Middle School will celebrate the grand opening of its newly renovated schoolyard, a nearly $6 million investment in a unique public-private partnership with SFUSD, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, and an anonymous donor through the San Francisco Education Fund (SF Ed Fund), in which the organization served as the fiscal sponsor.

August Newsletter: SF Chronicle Highlights High-Impact Tutoring Gains to Kick Off the School Year

August 19, 2025

Our August newsletter marks the start of a new school year with both celebration and urgency. The San Francisco Chronicle spotlighted the success of our high-impact tutoring program, which has already raised $30,000 in new community support — but nearly 800 students remain on the waitlist, and $570,000 is still needed to ensure every child receives the literacy support they deserve. More than 300 volunteers turned out for our 10th annual Back-to-School Setup Day, helping teachers prepare classrooms for thousands of SFUSD students. We’re also opening applications for 2025-26 Educator Impact Grants, preparing new volunteers through fall training sessions, and inviting the community to join us at our September 25 Back-to-School Gala, Voices of Our Schools.

It Takes a Village: 361 Volunteers Help Teachers Prep for Day One

August 18, 2025

On Friday, August 15, more than 361 community and corporate volunteers brought classrooms to life across 35 – or nearly 75% of – SF Ed Fund Priority Schools, contributing nearly 750 hours of hands-on help. From organizing textbooks and building bulletin boards to setting up furniture and painting, volunteers turned the annual back-to-school scramble into a collaborative celebration.