Support Us
Live Oak Fund
Empowering Changemakers
At Live Oak School, we believe that what is good for one of us is good for all of us. Every day, our students and faculty engage in meaningful actions that make our school, community, and world a better place. From our youngest kindergartners creating recycling initiatives to eighth graders advocating for environmental sustainability, Live Oak is a community of changemakers.
We invite you to be a part of this transformative work to shape the future. Our culture of giving is grounded in this collective responsibility and opportunity to invest in our students' potential and promise.
With a goal of raising $1 million this year, your support will directly fuel:
List of 4 items.
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Access
$3.1 million allocated to our Adjusted Tuition Program, ensuring that a Live Oak education remains accessible to all families -
Learning
Funding for outdoor education, hands-on learning, innovative technology, and bold enhancement to our Middle School program -
Teaching
Professional development opportunities for 100% of our faculty and staff, keeping our educators at the forefront of teaching and learning -
Community
Continuing our decades long stewardship of the Potrero Hill Learning Garden, by supporting the renovation of Jackson Park
Join us Today!
When you give to the Live Oak Fund, you’re investing in the future of education, our students, and our community. Together, we can nurture curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. Your gift is more than just support—it’s a commitment to making the world a better place.
Make a gift today and be a part of something big. Every dollar you give strengthens our community and helps shape the changemakers of tomorrow.
Supporting the Renovation of Jackson Park
Since moving to our current Mariposa Street location in 2002, Live Oak has enjoyed a valuable partnership with neighboring Jackson Park. For decades, Live Oak has been stewards of the Potrero Hill Learning Garden, part of our tradition of nurturing outdoor learning and community engagement.
Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, Live Oak is supporting the proposed renovation of Jackson Park by committing up to $250,000 to the project on behalf of the school. Over the next three years, we are building financial support for this project from our families by committing donations from the Live Oak Fund in support of this project.
FAQ
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Why does Live Oak need to fundraise?
While tuition covers significant costs, the Live Oak Fund adds the magic to a Live Oak education, funding curricular investments and supporting the excellence in teaching families have come to expect. Importantly, the Live Oak Fund is an important part of our ability to make a Live Oak education accessible to students of all backgrounds. The School strives to meet a family's full demonstrated need so that each students partakes in each part of our program from 7:30am-6pm and beyond. This year, Live Oak eliminated the application fee as part of our admissions process, in an effort to reduce another barrier.With these goals at the front, a robust Live Oak Fund allows the school to be flexible in its response to critical and emerging needs. Each year we ask our trustees, faculty and staff, family, alumni, and grandparents to participate in giving to the Live Oak Fund. -
What is the history of giving to Live Oak?
We are grateful for the strong support of our community in advancing the School's mission. Over the past five years, financial support of the school through the Live Oak Fund has increased by 20% with participation from more than 90% of current families. -
How many donations will the school ask for?
We ask families to prioritize Live Oak in their philanthropic giving by making one gift to the school each year (for eighth grade families this is to the Legacy Campaign). This strategy supports and advances the school’s diversity, equity, and inclusion values–allowing each family to plan and participate in a meaningful way that is in line with their unique circumstances. Gifts to Live Oak range from $10-$50,000, reflective of the building blocks required to meet our annual goals. -
Why is full participation important in the school's philanthropy program?
Full parent/guardian participation in Live Oak's fundraising initiatives demonstrates solidarity within the Live Oak community. High participation demonstrates that those who are most connected to Live Oak are committed to the school, an important metric to some corporations, foundations, major donors, and friends as they decide how to allocate their giving. Therefore, all gifts are tremendously important. Each year, we strive to increase participation levels among the parent/guardian community to match 100% participation in our Trustee and staff communities. In the 23-24 School Year, 94% of current families participated in giving to Live Oak. -
When should I make my donation?
Live Oak Fund contributions, which are tax deductible, usually come in the form of pledges, cash, credit cards, or securities. We encourage you to pledge or make a gift by December 31 to help us plan strategically for the year. Because the Live Oak Fund year closes on June 30, we ask that all gifts be paid by June 15, 2025. -
How do I make my gift?
Gifts can be made directly online using a credit card or ACH. The online form allows for donor to set up recurring donations to extend their giving.
Checks can be mailed to Live Oak School, Attn: Advancement Office 1555 Mariposa Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
Current families can make their pledge online, advising the School of their intention to make a gift at a later date. All pledge payments are due June 15, 2025.
To initiate a stock or cryptocurrency transfer, or to recommend a grant via a Donor-Advised Fund, email advancement@liveoaksf.org. -
What exactly is a pledge?
The terms pledge and donations are sometimes used interchangeably, yet mean slightly different things.
A donation is a gift that is made on the spot in cash, with a check, or by making a credit card donation online.
A pledge on the other hand, is a promise of support to be paid at a future date, typically with a cash gift or stock donation. At Live Oak all pledge payments are due June 15.
We encourage pledges before December 31, to help us plan strategically for the current school year and to inform what investments in our Adjusted Tuition Program and curricular program can be made the following school year. -
Can I specify a donation to Jackson Park as part of my annual gift?
Live Oak is not collecting donations exclusively for Jackson Park. Instead we are asking families to contribute to the Live Oak Fund, wherein collective donations will be set aside to support the Jackson Park renovation project if/when it begins.
Once we reach $950,000 to support the learning investments proposed for this year, our goal is to direct the remaining $50,000 of the 1Million annual goal to Friends of Jackson Park (FoJP). This is the first of three years, Live Oak will dedicate philanthropic support for FoJP.
The public is welcome to donate as they see fit directly to the Jackson Park renovations via the Friends of Jackson Park website. -
What if the Jackson Park renovation does not happen?
All donations to Live Oak are considered donations in support of the school. -
Where can I learn more about the proposed renovation?
The public is invited to visit the Friends of Jackson Park (FoJP) website to learn more about the details of the park renovation.
www.friendsofjacksonpark.org -
What are other philanthropic opportunities to support Live Oak
In addition to the Live Oak Fund, philanthropic initiatives have supported the establishment of the Futures Fund to help the school prepare for future campus and program need and strengthened Live Oak's Endowment Fund to ensure this education for generations to come. This includes the Holly Horton Scholarship Endowment Fund, which supports Live Oak's Adjusted Tuition Program
To discuss major giving to the Futures Fund, the Live Oak Endowment, or another opportunity, please reach out to Francisca Guzman at francisca_guzman@liveoaksf.org
More questions?
Reach out to advancement@liveoaksf.org.
Reach out to advancement@liveoaksf.org.
Live Oak School welcomes and admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, citizenship status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and faith to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities of Live Oak School. Live Oak School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, citizenship status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and faith in administration of its educational policies and programs, admissions policies, Adjusted Tuition program, and athletic and other school-administered programs.