What Willow Glen Education Foundation does

Willow Glen Education Foundation (WGEF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit school-connected organization (SCO) founded circa 2000 in San Jose, California, that develops resources and funds programs supporting academic achievement and social/cultural enrichment at Willow Glen Middle School (WGMS) and Willow Glen High School (WGHS), both within the San Jose Unified School District (SJUSD). Its core offerings include academic enrichment (Project Lead the Way, classroom supplies), college and career readiness, student wellness and equity initiatives, scholarships, Teacher Treats, and the annual RamStarter consolidated fundraiser, which distributes proceeds across four affiliated parent organizations (40% WGEF, 20% WG Cares, 20% Athletic Boosters, 20% Performing Arts Boosters). The WG Cares sub-program provides targeted basic-needs support — school supplies, clothing, personal care items, and college application assistance — to the roughly 40% of WGMS/WGHS students facing financial challenges, serving 350-400 students annually and 130+ per month through a Supply Room.

WGEF operates an entirely volunteer-driven model with no paid staff (1-10 headcount, board-governed under President Michelle Pilling and 2026-2027 leadership), mailing address at P.O. Box 8096, San Jose, CA. Revenue is sourced 100% from tax-deductible donations across individuals, corporate matching programs, and fundraising events, with no products or services sold. Donor acquisition flows through school communications, parent organization meetings, school orientations (9th Grade Orientation, 6th Grade WEB Day), social media (Facebook, Instagram), and event-driven campaigns including Wish Upon a Star and the WG Tasting & Auction. The technology stack is minimal: a qgiv.com donation portal, a WordPress-style website, and Google Meet audio streaming for remote meeting participation; there is no proprietary technology, API, or AI capability. All on-campus volunteer activity is gated through SJUSD registration, making the district relationship structurally essential.

Name

Willow Glen Education Foundation

Legal name

Willow Glen Education Foundation

Website

https://willowglenfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Willow Glen Education Foundation is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit school-connected organization in San Jose, CA that fundraises and allocates resources to support academic enrichment and basic-needs programs for students at Willow Glen Middle and High Schools within the San Jose Unified School District.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Nonprofit Foundation

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

Keywords

• Education foundation
• School fundraising programs
• Student basic needs support
• Nonprofit K-12 support
• Community education grants

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from parents, families, and community members. Single donation through RamStarter benefits all four parent organizations supporting WGMS and WGHS.
2. Annual Fundraising Campaigns: RamStarter Annual Giving Campaign (goal $75,000), Back-to-School Boost fundraiser ($25,000 goal), plus Wish Upon a Star and WG Tasting & Auction events.
3. Corporate Matching: Corporate matching programs where employers match employee donations, effectively doubling or tripling donor impact. Recipients select 'Willow Glen Middle and High School Foundation' with memo directing funds.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Willow Glen Education Foundation is a volunteer-run nonprofit school-connected organization that develops resources and funds programs supporting academic achievement, social and cultural enrichment, and student wellness at Willow Glen Middle School and Willow Glen High School. Its core offerings include academic enrichment (Project Lead the Way, classroom supplies, scholarships), the Willow Glen Cares basic-needs support program for economically disadvantaged students, athletic and performing arts booster support, and the unified RamStarter annual fundraising campaign.

Product overview

Willow Glen Education Foundation is a nonprofit school-connected organization (SCO) that develops resources and funds programs supporting academic achievement and social/cultural enrichment at Willow Glen Middle School and Willow Glen High School. The foundation operates several programs: its core programs include academic enrichment, college & career readiness, student wellness & equity initiatives; Willow Glen Cares provides targeted support for students with economic needs including supplies, clothing, and special occasion assistance; RamStarter is the annual unified fundraiser distributing donations across four parent organizations; additional programs include Teacher Treats, WGHS Scholarships, Wish Upon a Star, and WG Tasting & Auction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Willow Glen Cares: A non-profit program of the Willow Glen Education Foundation that fills gaps in the educational experience of students with the greatest economic need at Willow Glen Middle and High Schools through targeted, timely, and tangible support.

Products and services

• Willow Glen Education Foundation Programs Academic, social, and cultural enrichment programs serving Willow Glen Middle School and Willow Glen High School students, including Project Lead the Way, classroom supplies, social events, teacher appreciation activities, scholarships, and the Ram Store.

Quantifiable outcome

• 350-400 students supported annually through WG Cares
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Willow Glen Athletic BoosterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four separate parent organizations working together at WGMS and WGHS. Receives 20% of RamStarter donations. Provides athletic trainer funding, capital improvements, uniforms, equipment, and athlete recognition including NCAA Signing Day.
• Willow Glen Performing Arts BoosterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four separate parent organizations. Receives 20% of RamStarter donations. Supports Theatre, Band, and Choir programs at WGMS and WGHS including instruments, repairs, sheet music, classroom technology, instruction, set design, costumes, and festival fees.
• San Jose Unified School District (SJUSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial school district partner. All volunteer registration for on-campus activities must go through SJUSD. Principals from both WGMS and WGHS attend parent organization meetings and provide campus updates.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• National PTA: National parent-teacher association network funding K-12 enrichment and parent engagement. Comparable school-connected organization model at national scale; Willow Glen Education Foundation explicitly positions itself as 'similar to a PTA, but a little different.'
• AdoptAClassroom.org: National nonprofit that lets donors directly fund K-12 classroom needs. Closely comparable in functional mission (channeling donor funds to direct K-12 student/teacher support) but operates nationally with a digital platform.
• DonorsChoose: National crowdfunding platform that channels individual donations to K-12 teachers and classrooms for supplies and enrichment. Comparable in mission (funding K-12 classroom needs) but operates at national scale via a digital platform rather than a single school community.
• KIPP Foundation: National K-12 education nonprofit operating public charter schools. Not a direct fundraising model peer, but a comparable K-12 education nonprofit with shared mission of educational equity and academic enrichment for underserved students.
• Communities In Schools: National nonprofit embedding support coordinators in K-12 schools to address student basic needs and remove barriers to learning. Direct functional parallel to the WG Cares program model but at national scale.

Emerging players

• Kids In Need Foundation: National nonprofit providing school supplies and educational resources to K-12 students in need. Direct functional parallel to WG Cares' supply room and school supplies program, with overlapping donor and volunteer profiles.

Others

• GreatSchools: National nonprofit providing school information and resources to parents. Indirectly comparable as a K-12 education support organization serving the same parent community that funds Willow Glen Education Foundation programs.

Regional players

• Silicon Valley Education Foundation: A regional K-12 education foundation serving nearby Silicon Valley school districts. Operates a similar fundraising-to-programs model for STEM education and student enrichment, comparable in structure but larger in geographic scope than Willow Glen Education Foundation.

Direct peers

• San Jose Public Education Foundation: Direct peer operating at the district level for San Jose Unified School District. Supports K-12 programs through fundraising and grantmaking, sharing the same donor community and school-district partnership context as Willow Glen Education Foundation.
• Parent Booster USA: National organization supporting parent-led booster clubs for K-12 athletics, arts, and academics. Direct parallel to the four parent organization model (Education Foundation, WG Cares, Athletic Boosters, Performing Arts Boosters) operating at WGMS and WGHS.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/willowglenfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/willowglenfound
• Xx.com/willowglenfound

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles25 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Willow Glen Education Foundation