Innovating to Support Our Public Schools

With the goal of equity in mind, Spark launched the Peer School-to-School Fundraising program in 2022 to provide opportunities for parents, PTAs, principals, and schools to come together to support each other.

The school buddy system model of fundraising was the brainchild of Jefferson Elementary parent, Ruben Diaz who saw an opportunity for schools with fundraising capacity to help schools that don’t have that resource. It is designed to address inequities across the district by activating school communities. Knowing the positive impact PTA fundraising can have on a school, and with the understanding that not every school in SFUSD has a PTA, Spark piloted a successful peer-to-peer model for schools to raise funds for a partner school other than their own.

Since it launched, four schools, Chinese Immersion School at DeAvila, Jefferson, John Muir, and Redding Elementary Schools, have participated and raised over $65,359 for projects such as: basic need supplies, school yard enhancements, social and emotional support, and a part-time family liaison position.