Flagstaff, AZ (July XX, 2023) – Through the charitable partnership with the Flagstaff Blues and Brews Festival this past June, the FUSD Foundation raised just over $34,000 over the course of the two-day festival. $9,000 alone was raised from raffle ticket sales for an electric guitar (donated by Arizona Music Pro) signed by all the bands on each day.
For the second year in a row, funds raised from the festival will be awarded to teachers to help enhance music and arts education for students, under the Debbi Grogan Memorial Fund established in Fall 2022. Debbi Grogan, who passed away from a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer several years ago, and a longtime Flagstaff resident, was a music visionary and launched the Flagstaff Blues & Brews Festival in 2013 along with her partner and daughter, Jennifer Grogan. Last year the Foundation established the fund in her honor and is proud to continue to be the charitable partner of the festival.
Jennifer Grogan, FUSD Foundation President as of January 2023, shared “The festival chose the Foundation as our charitable partner in 2020 to have the largest impact on music education as we possibly could. Partnering with them has been hugely successful and I’m thrilled that we can bring all this funding to music and the arts across the district.”
In addition to the music and arts fund, the Foundation also offers a micro-grant program that was implemented for the first time in Fall 2021. Since then, it’s delivered over $15,000 in micro-grant monies to about 30 different projects and programs. Their next goal is to establish a fund specifically to support STEM programs. The Foundations’ all-volunteer board is always seeking new ways to supplement their grant program such as monthly fundraisers with local restaurants and business or individual donations.
Superintendent of FUSD, Michael Penca, shared “The Flagstaff Unified School District is grateful for the partnership and support provided by the Foundation and its volunteer board. Both the Debbi Grogan Memorial Fund and micro-grant awards have directly benefited our district’s staff and students to enhance teaching and learning opportunities. “
The board has been working toward creating meaningful partnerships with local businesses and organizations who have aligned interests with various projects they’d like to see happen through the support of the Foundation. Through these partnerships, they can enhance the projects in terms of longevity and how many student lives that can be positively changed.
Carol Haden, recently appointed VP of the FUSD Foundation board stated “As a former FUSD Governing Board member, I know firsthand how critical it is for teachers to have the resources they need to teach effectively. We’re very grateful for the generous donations of the community that allow the Foundation to continue to support high-quality education for our students. “
If you’re a local business owner who would be interested in learning more about the types of projects and programs that are often funded through the Foundation’s grant programs, contact [email protected].
If you have any questions about the FUSD Foundation overall, or would like to schedule an interview, contact Heather Pierce at 602-421-1899 or [email protected].
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Established in 2005, the Flagstaff Unified School District Foundation enhances the educational experience of FUSD students with the help and support of alumni and community resources. The Foundation is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Leadership is provided by a volunteer board of directors made-up of dedicated community members. Since 2015, the Foundation has overseen the Teacher Innovation Fund which supports excellence in teaching through grants awarded for innovative, original projects that motivate students, improve the learning process, and are not provided for in school budgets.
