↑ parent activity group ·
research dossier →

Mesa Public Schools Foundation

Mesa, AZ · EIN 860550594 · Form 990 · FY2021 · NTEE B82 · Education · Small ($100K-$1M) · mesa-foundation.org
revenue
$298K
expenses
$234K
net assets
$1.0M
employees
1
volunteers
18
program ratio
86%
mission · from form 990

The Mesa Public Schools Foundation (Foundation) operates as a support entity to the Mesa Unified School District No.4. The Foundation secures and distributes contributions for the benefit of students enrolled and adults working in the Mesa Unified School District.

profile · synthesized from sources

Mesa Public Schools Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports Mesa Public Schools, the largest school district in Arizona. It provides resources to enhance educational opportunities for students and educators through strategic funding and partnerships. The foundation focuses on classroom innovation, critical resources for students, workforce development, and literacy initiatives.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2021

what they reported doing

Program narrative the organization filed with the IRS. Ordered by program spending.

  1. #1 primary $32K
    Contributions for special programs to provide school children with books, eyeglasses and other supplies. Approximately 950 students benefitted from these funds.
named programs · 5 · from sources

what they call their work

Critical Resources Fund
Provides essential items like clothing, eye exams, and eyeglasses to students facing barriers to academic success.
Educator Grants
Funds creative and impactful projects proposed by MPS educators to enhance student learning and achievement.
Literacy Champions
Promotes literacy by providing resources, distributing books for summer reading, and partnering for book donation campaigns.
Scholarship Funds
Supports student education and future leaders by allowing individuals to establish scholarship funds for specific fields of study or in honor of loved ones.
Workforce Development
Supports high school interns with materials like steel-toe boots, appropriate clothing, and gas cards for commuting to internships.
activities · 5 groups

what they do

  • Support Services for Homeless Students 9 activities
    • Delivers essential student support resources
      Provides critical resources including clothing, eye exams, and new eyeglasses to students experiencing barriers to academic success and well-being.
    • Delivers student support resources
      Provides essential resources to students facing barriers, including clothing, eye exams, new eyeglasses, and books to promote summer reading, in partnership with organizations like the Mesa Family Resource Center.
    • Student Resource Provision
      Provides critical resources to students, including clothing, eye exams, new eyeglasses, and materials for workforce training (e.g., steel-toe boots, clothing, gas cards for interns), to address barriers to academic performance and well-being.
    • Student Resource Provision
      Provides critical resources such as clothing, eye exams, new eyeglasses, and books to students to address barriers to academic performance and well-being, including support for summer reading and high school interns' workforce training materials and commuting costs.
    • Student Resource Provision
      Provides critical resources to students, including clothing, eye exams, new eyeglasses, and materials for workforce training (e.g., steel-toe boots, clothing, gas cards for interns), to address barriers to academic performance and well-being.
    • Supplies essential personal and educational resources to students
      Provides critical resources including clothing, eye exams, new eyeglasses, and books to students facing barriers to academic performance and well-being.
    • Supports high school interns with workforce readiness materials
      Equips high school interns with essential workforce training materials such as steel-toe boots and clothing, and provides gas cards to reduce commuting costs.
    • Supports high school workforce training interns
      Equips high school interns with essential materials for workforce training, such as steel-toe boots and work clothing, and provides gas cards to reduce commuting costs.
    • Supports workforce training for high school interns
      Supplies high school interns with essential materials for workforce training, such as steel-toe boots and work clothing, and provides gas cards to reduce commuting costs.
  • Teacher & Classroom Support Grants 6 activities
    • Administers grant programs for educators
      Provides grants to Mesa Public Schools educators to fund creative and impactful classroom projects that enhance student learning and achievement.
    • Educator Grants
      Provides grants to Mesa Public Schools educators to fund creative and impactful projects that enhance student learning and achievement.
    • Educator Grants
      Provides grants to Mesa Public Schools educators to fund creative and impactful projects that enhance student learning and achievement.
    • Educator Grants Program
      Provides grants to Mesa Public Schools educators to fund creative and impactful projects that enhance student learning and achievement.
    • Provides grants to educators for innovative classroom projects
      Offers grants to Mesa Public Schools educators to fund creative and impactful projects that enhance student learning and achievement.
    • Provides grants to educators for innovative classroom projects
      Offers grants to Mesa Public Schools educators to fund creative and impactful projects that enhance student learning and achievement.
  • Student Enrichment Program Funding 5 activities
    • Administers sponsorship programs to support students and schools
      Provides vital resources and opportunities to students, educators, and schools in the Mesa community through sponsor partnerships, implementing tailored programs that align with sponsor values and enrich the educational experience for thousands of students.
    • Manages sponsorship programs to enrich student education
      Implements tailored programs in partnership with sponsors that provide vital resources and opportunities to students, educators, and schools, enriching the educational experience for thousands of students.
    • Sponsor Partnership Programs
      Facilitates sponsor partnerships to provide vital resources and opportunities to students, educators, and schools in the Mesa community, implementing tailored programs that directly benefit students in alignment with sponsor values.
    • Sponsorship Programs for Educational Enrichment
      Enriches the educational experience for students by implementing tailored programs that align with sponsor values and provide vital resources and opportunities to students, educators, and schools in the Mesa community.
    • Sponsorship Programs for Educational Enrichment
      Enriches the educational experience for thousands of students by providing vital resources and opportunities to students, educators, and schools in the Mesa community through sponsor partnerships, implementing tailored programs that align with sponsor values.
  • Library Friends Group Support 3 activities
    • Distributes books to promote student reading
      Distributes books to students to encourage reading during summer break, including through the "Give the Gift of Reading" campaign in partnership with the Mesa Family Resource Center.
    • Literacy Programs
      Distributes books to students to encourage reading during summer break and partners with organizations like the Mesa Family Resource Center for book donation campaigns.
    • Literacy Promotion
      Distributes books to students to encourage reading during summer break and partners with community organizations like the Mesa Family Resource Center for book donation campaigns.
  • Uncategorized 5 activities
    • Holiday Toy Drives
      Organizes holiday toy drives for elementary schools, such as the DLR Holiday Toy Drive for Adams Elementary.
    • Holiday Toy Drives
      Organizes holiday toy drives for elementary schools, such as the DLR Holiday Toy Drive for Adams Elementary, to provide gifts to students.
    • Organizes targeted giving campaigns for student needs
      Runs specific charitable campaigns such as the DLR Holiday Toy Drive for Adams Elementary and the "Give the Gift of Reading" book distribution initiative in partnership with the Mesa Family Resource Center to support student well-being and literacy.
    • Organizes targeted school and community giving initiatives
      Coordinates donation drives such as the DLR Holiday Toy Drive for Adams Elementary and other sponsor-aligned programs that deliver direct benefits to students and schools.
    • Organizes targeted school and student support drives
      Organizes donation drives such as the DLR Holiday Toy Drive for Adams Elementary to provide direct support to students and schools.
financials · form 990 · fy2021
revenue
Total revenue$298K
Contributions & grants$175K59%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$73K24%
Other revenue$50K
expenses
Total expenses$234K
Program expenses86%
Admin / overhead7%
Fundraising8%
Salaries & benefits$76K
Grants paid out$147K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.04M
Cash$148K
Investments$878K
Liabilities$11K
Net assets$1.03M
Liquid reserves52.6 mo
4 years on record · 2019–2021 · YoY revenue +51.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2021

who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Janita Pickett-Gordon Executive Director 40 $70K
board members · 19
  • Casandra McCray — Treasurer
  • Dawn Giles — Director
  • Delight Clark — President
  • Dr Andi Foulis — Director
  • Jackie McAferty — Director
  • Joe Holcombe — Director
  • John Dowd — Secretary
  • Julie Davis — Director
  • Lisa Cartwright-Harris — Vice President
  • Marcie Hutchinson — Director
  • Marilyn Wilson — Director
  • Mario Cordero — Director
  • Marlo Loria — Director
  • Michael Schachte — Director
  • Steven Peterson — Director
  • Steven Poulin — Director
  • Sudha Kamineni — Director
  • Tracy Coulter — Director
  • Valerie Brotherson — Director
relationships · 16

who they work with

  • Architechnology AZ Partner — Gold Sponsor of Mesa Public Schools Foundation
  • Bluum Partner — Gold Sponsor of Mesa Public Schools Foundation
  • Chasse Building Team Partner — Platinum Sponsor of Mesa Public Schools Foundation
  • Core Construction Partner — Platinum Sponsor of Mesa Public Schools Foundation
  • Edge Construction Partner — Gold Sponsor of Mesa Public Schools Foundation
  • Get-Away Today Partner — Receives a donation from Get-Away Today when supporters mention the foundation's name while booking travel packages.
  • Grace Design Partner — Gold Sponsor of Mesa Public Schools Foundation
  • Hyte Networks Partner — Gold Sponsor of Mesa Public Schools Foundation
  • Lakeshore Learning Partner — Live Auction Sponsor of Mesa Public Schools Foundation
  • McCarthy Partner — Platinum Sponsor of Mesa Public Schools Foundation
  • Mesa Family Resource Center Partner — Partnered to donate books through the "Give the Gift of Reading" campaign.
  • Mesa Public Schools Partner — State tax credit donations must be made directly to Mesa Public Schools.
  • Our 2026 Sponsors Partner — List of current organizational sponsors supporting the foundation's initiatives.
  • Progressive Roofing Partner — Gold Sponsor of Mesa Public Schools Foundation
  • SD Crane Builders Partner — Sapphire Sponsor of Mesa Public Schools Foundation
  • United Way Partner — Can be designated to receive contributions through United Way donor forms, although not a United Way agency.