FAQs

The Carlmont Academic Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit staffed by a group of parents and community members who volunteer their time to raise money for Carlmont High School. CAF is the only fundraising organization focused on financially supporting academics at our high school.

With your generous donations, CAF is able to provide a better educational experience for all students by funding smaller class sizes, innovative cutting edge classes and essential programs, all of Carlmont’s instructional supplies, as well as professional development for our teachers.  Carlmont students need your help to bridge the gap between what is provided by the state and local funding and what they need to be ready in the classroom and ready for life.

Donations of $1,200 or more per student are suggested, but but not everyone can afford this amount.  We ask that you make a donation that is within your families budget.  And if you can, make a bigger impact and join our Leadership Circle with a gift of $3,000 and above.   CAF relies on all of our donors to support our students.  Donations of any amount help us reach our goal.

We make it easy to donate online or by check.  Donate online by credit or debit card or EFT or mail a check to: Carlmont Academic Foundation, PO Box 104, Belmont, CA 94002.  If you work for a company that makes matching donations to non-profits, check out our Corporate Matching page.  Want to donate stock?  Learn more on the CAF Donation page.

Yes!  Donations to CAF are 100% tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. The Carlmont Academic Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization (tax ID 26-0325796).

CAF donations are very much like SCEF or SchoolForce donations. With a donation, a donor is supporting the mission of CAF and the academic priorities it represents. The Carlmont administration knows and appreciates that funds are being given annually and are counted on to close the gap and fund the programs that make Carlmont unique – if not used appropriately then the following year the parent community will not step up to donate.

Each year Carlmont’s Instructional VP creates a master schedule that lists the classes offered and the # of periods, or sections, that are offered. The district pays for 6 class periods (sections) for each student, while many students take 7 periods. Because Carlmont offers this additional choice not funded by the district, your donations pay for the extra sections. This year, your donations to CAF will be paying for 21 class sections at $23,500 per section. The additional class sections allow reduced class sizes for core classes such as English and Social Studies. Additional class sections also mean more innovative and creative class choices.

Due to school budgeting cycles, the money that CAF raises every year supports the following school year. Like the school district, CAF’s fiscal year starts on July 1st and ends June 30th rather than coinciding with the calendar year. For example, donations that you make in November 2022 and April 2023 will benefit our students during the 2023-2024 school year. That’s why you may receive a request from us to donate in our new fiscal year even though you already donated during that calendar year.  

If you have any questions about how much you have donated in either the fiscal or calendar year, feel free to email us at donorservices@carlmontacademicfoundation.org.

Common Core is a national program having to do with the measurements of students and the way they are instructed. Common Core has nothing to do with the period structure or classes offered at Carlmont. However, some CAF funds do go to teacher collaboration which allows the teachers to work with each other to improve their classes and help them implement the Common Core Standards.

Learn more about CAF’s impact on our students.