OUr Grants to the schools

The Malibu Education Foundation (MEF) provides a means for the Malibu community to invest in superior public education for our students.

This support will provide a foundation of excellence for Malibu students well into the future as it grows. As the only fundraising entity authorized to pay for staff and staffed programs through the school district, the change we can make together is significant and long-term.

From founding and funding the Middle School Athletics program to supporting each school’s signature program, MEF intends to establish that foundation of excellence for the long term health of our schools and our communities.

Launched in 2024, MEF has already invested over $1.2M in staff and staffed programs across our Malibu schools.

MEF complements the efforts of the PTAs and The Shark Fund, which raise site-specific funds for current year “stuff,” by funding the long-term expenses of “staff” and staffed programs. Specifically, MEF currently funds:

  • Webster Elementary: Four IA’s and the Arts Program

  • Malibu Elementary: Four IA’s and the Arts Program

  • Malibu Middle: Athletics Program, Math Tutors, and the Musical Accompanist

  • Malibu High: Math Tutors, Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Musical Accompanist, and the Community Service Liaison

This year, the Van Dyke Endowment for the Arts contributed $5,540 to Visual and Performing Arts programs - or $1,385 per school. This $200,000 endowment, raised through a June 2024 event, currently sits with The Shark Fund, and will transfer to Malibu Education Foundation in September 2025 to continue to help fund Visual and Performing Arts programs across our schools forever.

MEF received seed funding from both Malibu City and SMMUSD to support a three-year launch strategy with a path to achieve self-funding by 2027.

Fundraising efforts have included a partnership with Malibu Moves, The Holiday Tree Lot, Food For Thought, and donation appeals to our community.

MEF submits quarterly reports to the Malibu City Council. Those reports are available on the Malibu City Website, or email info@malibueducationfoundation.org to request a copy of the latest report (January - March 2025).

LEGACY PROGRAMS

Malibu Education Foundation is actively developing opportunities for donors to leave a legacy for generations of students. These opportunities include:

  • Endowments: Contribute to our endowment programs to enable your donation to support students for years to come.

    • The Van Dyke Endowment for the Arts, established by The Shark Fund last summer with $200,000 in donations raised during a naming event to support Visual and Performing Arts Programs across all four schools, will be transferring to the Malibu Education Foundation this Fall 2025.

    • All donations made to the endowment will be invested to grow the endowment, and just the interest revenue used to support arts programs across schools - forever.

    • Together, we will continue to grow this endowment to support arts education for years to come!

  • Naming Opportunities: With our evolving campuses there are opportunities to for donor recognition through naming.

  • Planned Giving: Working with an established investment partner, there are multiple long-term giving strategies we are able to develop in partnership with donor.

More information will be available soon. To get in touch to start discussion, please email info@malibueducationfoundation.org.

Hear about the Van Dyke’s vision for the Arts Endowment established in their name. The theater naming event in June 2024 served as the initial fundraising event for the endowment.