FAQs
What is the Linn-Mar School Foundation?
The Linn-Mar School Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization created in 1985 as a way for the District to benefit from individual and corporate donations. It is the only non-profit authorized to receive matching funds from businesses and other charitable foundations in support of Linn-Mar schools. It differs from the Booster Club and elementary school PTOs in its focus on district-wide educational excellence. Money invested in the Linn-Mar School Foundation supports projects that help the district provide students with the skills, knowledge and expertise they need to succeed in work and life in the 21st century.
Why should I donate to the Foundation?
Generations of Linn-Mar area residents have held the belief that at the heart of our community is high-quality education. It impacts the future of our children, the desirability of our neighborhoods and the vitality of our business districts.
Public funding and taxation cannot adequately meet all the demands of maintaining a “school of choice”, particularly in high-growth areas such as Linn-Mar. Supporting the Foundation enables donors to impact the quality of our community, the lives of our children and the preparedness of our future workforce.
What is the Beyond Endowment Fund?
Beyond is an endowment fund that the Linn-Mar Foundation hopes to grow to over $1 million. This fund will be a permanent fund generating earned income each year that is invested back into educational programming.
Why does Linn-Mar need an endowment?
Rather than raise and spend, the Linn-Mar School Foundation is growing an endowment that provides permanent and increasing amounts of support to invest in our schools. Most public school systems in Linn County have an endowment. Public universities have had them for years and many big schools are pursuing campaigns to grow endowments into the billions of dollars. Tax dollars enable Linn-Mar to build and maintain facilities to keep up with the district’s strong growth. But tax dollars are falling short in some very important educational areas. The Foundation’s endowment will help bridge the gap between what “public support” provides and what students and teachers need to succeed and live in the 21st century.
Aren’t tax dollars enough?
Bond money and SILO money can only be spent on certain things -- mainly physical structures. Raising private funds (invested in an income-producing endowment) means Linn-Mar can move beyond a focus on basic competency to promoting mastery of academic content at much higher levels.
How will the money be spent?
The Linn-Mar School Foundation’s endowment is held at the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation (GCRCF). Each year, GCRCF will allow the Foundation to take 5 percent of the endowment’s earned interest. The remaining interest is reinvested, so the fund is not depleted, but continues to grow. The Foundation’s Board of Trustees, working with a team of district and school-based educators, will determine how to spend the interest. Our priorities are projects that help the district provide students with the skills, knowledge and expertise they need to succeed in work and life in the 21st century. This includes mastery of core subjects such as science, reading, history, language arts and math, as well as an understanding of interdisciplinary themes such as global awareness, business, civic and health literacy. The Foundation is especially interested in projects that:
- Implement creative and imaginative teaching approaches or techniques.
- Encourage creative or critical thinking among students; promote teamwork; or support higher levels of understanding and/or achievement.
- Address underserved or emerging educational areas.
The Foundation is raising money toward both designated and undesignated endowment funds. The endowment’s general fund is also called the Bold fund. This is an undesignated fund that provides the most flexibility and broadest avenue of support for future needs. The STEM fund is a designated fund targeting science, technology, engineering and math – an area of excellence for Linn-Mar and one of the hottest growth opportunities for Linn-Mar graduates. The Globe Fund is also a designated fund. Its focus is in the area of global awareness and culture, arts, civic and language literacy.
Who has donated to the Beyond endowment fund?
A large percentage of the endowment fund's support will continue to come in the form of multi-year pledges from district families and, over time, through gifts in wills and other forms of long-term giving. View Beyond donors.
What are the tax benefits of a gift to the Beyond Endowment?
The Linn-Mar School Foundation is a qualified charitable organization in the eyes of the IRS. Gifts to the Foundation may be tax deductible depending on a donor’s particular tax situation (several examples are available by contacting the Foundation). In addition, since the Foundation’s assets are held by the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, a gift may also qualify for the 25 PERCENT Endow Iowa Tax Credit. The combination of the tax deductibility of a donor’s gift and the benefit of the Iowa tax credit may dramatically reduce the after-tax cost of a gift to the Linn-Mar School Foundation’s endowment.