The Piedmont Education Foundation (PEF) proudly presented a record-breaking $4,355,000 grant to the Piedmont Unified School District (PUSD) at the Sept. 9 School Board Meeting. The grant is the largest in PEF’s history and is made possible through a full year of community-powered fundraising, including PEF’s annual Giving Campaign, Spring Fling and Harvest Festival, Dress Best for Less, business sponsorships and a distribution from the PEF Endowment Fund.
“This milestone is the result of every donor, volunteer, event participant and community member who believes in the power of our public schools,” said Bridget Schreiber, PEF Chair. “This $4,355 million grant is going straight to work across all Piedmont schools, directly serving every student by funding the people who make magic happen every day: our teachers, counselors, librarians, aides, specialists and student support staff.”
PEF funding plays a critical role in sustaining the quality of education in Piedmont. For the 2026-27 school year, the PEF grant to PUSD accounts for 16% of teacher salaries, while also supporting paraeducator and teaching aides, counselors and specialists, health and wellness programs, special education, professional development and classroom supplies.
PEF is now preparing for the launch of its 2026-27 Giving Campaign on Tuesday, Sept. 22, with the theme “It Takes ALL of Us.” New Giving Campaign co-chairs, Bindu Lokre, Brook Meakins, and Ellie Sommers, will lead this year’s effort.
The campaign highlights the shared responsibility to help bridge the gap between the cost of providing an exceptional education and the funding PUSD receives from federal, state, and local sources. Launch day activities will take place at each school site, with PEF volunteers in purple welcoming families and kicking off the campaign.
Learn more about this year’s Giving Campaign and how to support Piedmont’s public schools HERE