del mar schools education foundation

What del mar schools education foundation does

Del Mar Schools Education Foundation (DMSEF) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2000 and headquartered in San Diego, California. Its sole operational purpose is to raise private donations to fund credentialed STEAM+ specialists — covering science, technology and innovation, art, music, and physical education — across all nine elementary schools of the Del Mar Union School District (DMUSD). Because the State of California does not fund these specialist positions at the elementary level, DMUSD relies on DMSEF for approximately 40% of credentialed STEAM+ specialist compensation each year. The foundation reports supporting over 15,000 children through its funding over its 25+ year history.

DMSEF generates revenue exclusively through donations and fundraising activities. Its pricing/asking model is a recommended contribution of $800 per student per year, with monthly giving and one-time options accepted. Distribution channels include an online donation portal (e-tapestry), employer matching programs, restaurant partner fundraiser nights, stock contributions, donor-advised funds, and large annual events such as the Jogathon and Fall Giving Campaign. Community sponsors include CalKids, Coder School, Huntington Learning Center, RSM, Shake Shack, North Italia, and Del Mar Blue Printing (in-kind). Annual check presentations to DMUSD have ranged from $950,000 to $1.3 million in recent cycles, with a stated 2026-27 goal of $1.3 million.

The foundation has no proprietary technology product or AI capabilities; it operates a standard nonprofit website (dmsef.org), email newsletters, and social media channels for donor outreach. DMSEF has earned a Charity Navigator Four-Star Rating (2023) and GuideStar's Platinum Seal of Transparency (2023), placing it in the top 0.1% of nonprofits for transparency. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors and rotating parent volunteer leadership, currently under President Sheena Sahni (2025-2026 school year). DMSEF is autonomous, with no parent company, no private equity involvement, and no subsidiaries.

Name

del mar schools education foundation

Legal name

Del Mar Schools Education Foundation

Website

https://dmsef.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Del Mar Schools Education Foundation is a San Diego-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises private donations to fund credentialed STEAM+ specialists at all nine elementary schools of the Del Mar Union School District, filling a gap left by California state funding shortfalls.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Grantmaking Agencies & Education Program Grants Administration (EDADAHAD)

Keywords

• Education foundation fundraising
• STEAM education funding
• Nonprofit school support
• School district donations
• Community education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: DMSEF generates revenue primarily through donations from parents, community members, and corporations. Annual fundraising campaigns include Fall Giving Campaign and Jogathon events, with a recommended contribution of $800 per student per year. Additional revenue streams include restaurant nights, corporate matching programs, stock contributions, and monthly giving programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Del Mar Schools Education Foundation (DMSEF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that raises funds through donations from parents, community members, and corporate partners to support credentialed STEAM+ specialists (science, technology & innovation, art, music, and physical education) at the nine elementary schools of the Del Mar Union School District. The foundation bridges the funding gap left by California's public school funding shortfalls, channeling approximately $1.3 million annually to fund teacher compensation.

Product overview

The Del Mar Schools Education Foundation (DMSEF) operates as a single-purpose nonprofit that raises funds to support STEAM+ education programs across nine elementary schools in the Del Mar Union School District. The organization's core offering is funding credentialed specialists in science, technology & innovation, art, music, and physical education. DMSEF's annual fundraising goal is approximately $1.3 million to fund 9 STEAM+ teachers district-wide. Since the State of California does not provide funding for these teachers, DMSEF bridges the gap through donations from parents, community members, and corporations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 15,000 children supported through DMSEF funding
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Del Mar Union School District (DMUSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDMSEF's primary partner. The foundation raises funds to provide credentialed STEAM+ teachers for the district's nine elementary schools. DMUSD relies on DMSEF for 40% of compensation for credentialed STEAM+ specialists each year due to state funding shortfalls.
• CalKidsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity sponsor for 2026-27 school year.
• Coder SchoolminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity sponsor for 2026-27 school year (coding education business).
• Huntington Learning CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity sponsor for 2026-27 school year (tutoring services).
• RSM (The Math School)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity sponsor for 2026-27 school year (math education).
• Del Mar Blue PrintingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIn-kind sponsor providing printing services for fundraising materials.
• North ItaliaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant partner that donates 10% of sales on designated fundraiser nights.
• Shake Shack (One Paseo)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant partner donating 25% of sales on Donation Day events.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Kids In Need Foundation: National nonprofit that supports K-12 teachers and students through supply donations, grants, and educator support programs. Comparable as a nonprofit that raises funds to fill resource gaps in underfunded K-12 public schools.
• DonorsChoose: National crowdfunding platform where teachers post classroom project requests and donors fund them. Comparable nonprofit fundraising model that channels donor dollars to specific public school needs, including STEAM materials and experiences.
• AdoptAClassroom.org: National nonprofit that lets donors directly fund classroom supplies and educational resources for public school teachers. Highly comparable operating model — donor funds flow to public school teachers for specific educational enrichment needs.
• Funds for Teachers: National nonprofit that awards grants to PreK-12 educators for professional development. Comparable as an education-focused grantmaking nonprofit that directs donor funds to teachers in public schools, particularly for enrichment and innovation.

Others

• CalKids: A 2026-27 community sponsor partner of DMSEF and California-based children's savings/education program. Comparable as an adjacent California education support organization that channels community resources to K-12 student enrichment.

Broad incumbents

• National PTA: The largest national parent-volunteer child advocacy and school-support organization, with local PTAs conducting fundraising for enrichment programs at member schools. Comparable parent-driven school fundraising mission at national scale.

Direct peers

• Silicon Valley Education Foundation: Regional education foundation supporting K-12 STEAM programs and teacher innovation in Silicon Valley-area districts. Directly comparable as a district-cluster-focused education foundation that raises funds for STEAM and educator compensation gaps.
• PTA California Congress of Parents, Teachers, and Students: The California state-level PTA organization that supports K-12 public schools through parent-led fundraising for educational programs. Comparable to DMSEF in mission (parent-driven fundraising for public school enrichment) and donor base (school families).

Regional players

• San Diego Education Foundation: San Diego-based education foundation that supports public school programs through grants and fundraising. Directly comparable as a geographically adjacent district-level education grantmaker serving similar public school communities in San Diego County.
• Education Foundation of Sarasota County: A district-cluster education foundation supporting public schools in Sarasota County, FL through grants to teachers. Directly comparable in structure — a regional nonprofit foundation that distributes grants to fund teacher positions and programs in a defined school district.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/del-mar-schools-education-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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