Why does the school district need a foundation?

Public funding alone is not sufficient to provide our students and educators the opportunities they need and deserve to be successful. While CMS receives funding through tax dollars, the vast majority of these funds are restricted (approximately 70 percent of all funds) and can only be used in specific categories such as salaries, supplies and facilities. This is why support from the philanthropic community is so critical. Private investments can be used for more than just meeting basic needs. They can seed innovative ideas and help take proven programs to scale.