Orinda Network for Education (ONE) hit its 2024-2025 fundraising target with the help of a generous matching donation.
Bucking national trends, the Orinda Network for Education (ONE) met its ambitious 2024-2025 fundraising goal of $5.56 million, according to Emily Allen, the non-profit’s executive director.
That amount was approximately 11% more than last year.
The campaign crossed the finish line at the last minute with the help of a generous matching donation from an anonymous community donor.
The achievement is remarkable, given the general downward trend in charitable giving nationally. Gallup data published in February showed fewer people donating to charities.
“The world’s benevolent streak may be losing its momentum,” the report said. “After peaking between 2021 and 2023, global charitable activities – such as donating, volunteering and helping strangers – declined significantly in 2024.”
Not, apparently, in Orinda.
There were 2,012 donors this year, even though school families are less than 20% of the total population of 19,573. About 27% of Orinda’s 7,386 households donated. About 75% of the donors were school families, but other community and business donors, plus matching corporate gifts, played a significant role.
Orinda’s generosity is notable throughout the Bay Area. Allen said that ONE consistently ranks among the top fundraisers within the Bay Area Educational Foundation Group, whose members are other executive directors.
“Fundraising for everyone was harder this year with the election and the uncertainty,” Allen said. “But Orinda’s commitment to supporting schools is unwavering.”
Allen credited the on-site fundraisers at each school with shouldering most of the fundraising work.
“We provide the tools and training, and they are the boots on the ground,” she said. “Most school families meet a suggested donation of $2,000 to $2,200.”
Under 1% of school age children in Orinda attend private schools, compared to about 10% nationwide. The reputation and academic performance of Orinda public schools is a major contributor to local home prices, according to local realtors.
“The local real estate market benefits tremendously from our outstanding Lafayette, Moraga and Orinda public school systems,” said Chris Anderson of Compass Realty. “The housing market has consistent upward pressure on prices due, in part, to the annual migration of younger families from San Francisco, Berkeley and Oakland who are seeking better public schools and a family-orientated environment while in close proximity to San Francisco.”
Total enrollment in Orinda schools in the 2024-2025 school year was 3,775, including 2,587 in OUSD schools and 1,188 at Miramonte. Private donations through ONE funded 9% of the approximately $48 million OUSD budget.
Allen said many residents may not understand how much school funding has changed. “Because of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) passed in 2011, we receive among the lowest funding of any California schools,” she said. “We sit down with the district at the beginning of the year and understand their needs, and then we give them grants based on those discussions,” Allen said. “Our grants are unrestricted, so they can support the types of things that otherwise wouldn’t be possible.”
At Miramonte, part of the Acalanes Union High School District, ONE supports 22 sections, including electives, AP and Honors classes.
Nearly all of the funds collected each year are disbursed that year. When the final invoices are paid for the 2024-2025 school year, $5.2 million will have gone to Orinda schools.
In addition to Allen, the full-time executive director, ONE employs two part-time staff. The 15-member board is entirely volunteer.
Jennifer Chen, president of the Acalanes Union High School District Board, confirmed that funding by ONE is essential to keeping many programs at Miramonte.
“The people who put in those countless hours of fundraising have our wholehearted appreciation,” she said.