Founded in 1980 by a group of concerned parents, the Larkspur-Corte Madera Schools Foundation (SPARK) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that raises money to support programs that are at risk due to ongoing budget cuts. Today’s reality is that public schools in California are community-funded and can no longer rely on state and local funding to provide a well-rounded education. SPARK raises $1.5M annually for our approximately 1200 students in three schools: The Cove School, Neil Cummins Elementary and Hall Middle School. SPARK raises money through Annual Giving, business partnerships, and fundraising events.

SPARK relies on Annual Giving donations from families each year, which account for approximately 70% of the Foundation’s total revenue. With this financial support, SPARK provides access for every student to programs including Music, Art, Science, Technology/Engineering and Wellness/Counseling at all three schools, plus Spanish and Leadership at Hall Middle School. For the 2023-2024 school year SPARK will fund salaries and benefits for 14 teachers and staff as well as materials and supplies for 12 SPARK funded programs.