Frequently Asked Questions
East Side Elementary Foundation is a non-profit group made up of parent & teacher volunteers (100% of donations stay at East Side Elementary) with the goal of providing our children with the best possible educational experience. The Foundation raises money for educational resources not provided by Cobb County or the PTA. Every child at East Side Elementary benefits from the Foundation so we need every family to participate in the campaign (donations are 100% tax-deductible).
Q. How can I (or my company) make a tax-exempt donation?
A. As a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt all-inclusive organization, the East Side Elementary Foundation (ESEF) offers tax advantages for donors. Types of donations include those from matching grants, corporations, parents, grandparents, faculty, community individuals, and memorial gifts.
If you (or your spouse) are employed by a company that participates in the Matching Grant Program, your gift to the Foundation may be matched or even doubled by your employer. Contact your corporate employee relations office for their matching gift procedures.
Please make your tax-exempt donations payable to "East Side Elementary Foundation, Inc." and send to:
East Side Elementary Foundation, Inc.
Attention: Melissa Cannon, President
3850 Roswell Road
Marietta, GA 30062
You may also deliver your donation to your teacher(s) and they can put in our Foundation box located at the school. If your company uses a matching contribution form, please include that also.
We appreciate your support and thank you in advance for your generous contribution.
Q. Are all parents/teachers at East Side automatically Foundation members or is it membership by donation?
A. There are no "members" of the Foundation. There are constituencies that the Foundation benefits, namely the school and the children who attend the school.
By association, the parents, teachers, school administration and the surrounding community also benefit from the Foundation's expenditures. In determining how to best help the school and the children, the board will seek general input from the parents, teachers and administration.
The best way to think of it is like a charity (i.e. the American Cancer Society) with 3 separate, distinct steps:
- A donor makes a contribution to the foundation. Other than a tax deduction and recognition of the gift, the donor receives no benefit.
- The Foundation, through research that includes feedback from parties close to the foundation beneficiaries (the school and children), determines how funds are allocated to various programs.
- These programs are then enacted and benefit the stated beneficiaries (the school and the children who attend the school).
A. We will use this website, our Facebook page, direct flyers, announcement emails &/or a newsletter to communicate with our parents, teachers, sponsors and partners.
Q. The Foundation has indicated it will study the feasibility of funding a Foreign Language program for East Side Elementary students. Why isn't such a program considered and funded by the Cobb County school system instead?
A. Cobb County will not provide positions to local schools for language classes, as it is not in the State's Curriculum at the elementary school level. Local schools have no funds available to pay salary of an employee and may not hire individuals without county approval. PTA may not pay for salary of an employee. Foundations are one of only a few sources that can provide extra teacher positions to the school. Some other sources involve grants. Grants, however, are sometimes less appealing due to length of time before approval, monetary limitations, and time constraints. Teachers write grants through the year for specific programs that impact student achievement. These grants may not always support programs or the curriculum in multiple grade levels. Regardless of the funding source, any new employee must apply and be screened through the county before an employment offer is made. The county pays their salaries and the Foundation must reimburse the county.
