Our History

The Foundation's Beginnings

• Founded in 1992 as an adjunct to the Office of Technical and Career Education (TCE).
• In partnership with the business community to support the highly successful TCE House Project.
• Every year, an average of one hundred VBCPS high school students, build a home from the ground up, thereby receiving valuable hands-on training.
• The profit from the sale of the first house, completed and sold in 1994, funded the Foundation's first student scholarships and teacher honorariums.

The Foundation Broadens Its Scope

• In 1997, the Foundation scope expanded to include students and teachers in all grades and in all curricula.
• The Virginia Beach Public Schools Education Foundation became part of a growing national trend in which members of the private sector partner with the education community to enhance public education.

Taking the Foundation to the Next Level

• In spring 2000, the Foundation's Board of Directors enlisted professional fundraising counsel to conduct a Study to determine the success of a Foundation fundraising campaign to fund even more innovative education programs and opportunities.

The Foundation's Enhancement Campaign

• The Foundation's Study showed that there is support within the community for enhancing public education, and the Campaign's first-phase goal was set at $400,000.
• The first-phase campaign was completed at $420,000 in 2004.

INNOVATIVE IDEAS IN EDUCATION

The primary funding priority for the Foundation is its Building Futures Grants. These creative initiatives make this Foundation different from any other nonprofit funding organization supporting public education in Virginia Beach. These grants provide the Foundation and its donors the opportunity to be part of making dynamic, one-of-a-kind, and in many cases, one-time-only, learning experiences possible. These grants explore the power of a single idea—an idea that extends to a class of 30 or a school of 500—as each begins with one teacher's idea, enthusiasm and interest.

With $75,000 the Foundation funded 91 Building Futures Grants during the 2005-2006 school year. Over 11,000 students will benefit—a very impressive return on investment! These grants ranged from $200 to $1,000 each.

Increased funding has allowed the Foundation to expand the number of innovative grants it can award each year. However, the number of grant applications has also increased.

• 40 applications submitted for 1999-2000 grants (16 were funded),
• 60 for 2000-2001 (23 were funded), 95 for 2001-2002 (34 were funded),
• 109 for 2002-2003 (46 were funded),
• 151 for 2003-2004 (65 were funded),
• 197 for 2004-2005 (75 were funded),
• 240 for 2005-2006 (91 were funded).

For the first time this year, School-Wide Grant awards were given to five schools for school-wide projects. School-Wide Grant awards are for up to $5,000, whereas Building Futures Grants are for any amount up to $1,000. Both types of grants are for projects that will expand educational opportunities for students.

The Foundation's Building Futures Grants will continue to support the Standards of Learning and the Virginia Beach City Public Schools curricula. The Foundation will fund programs that are academic in nature, but are also designed to promote creativity, making learning interesting, fun, and rewarding.

For further information, please call 757.263.1337 or e-mail debbie.thomas@vbschools.com.