The Kayla Foundation

The Need:

Think of a child standing outside a school’s music room, looking through the small window in the door, watching all of the other kids inside and wishing they too could participate. If only… The unfortunate reality is that many of our local children don’t have the household means to be able to afford even the simplest necessities for participating in their school’s music programs.

Further, school and non-profit music programs are often underfunded due to fiscal constraints and other funding priorities. Our aim is to help reverse these realities in the Fort Collins area, in honor and loving memory of Kayla.

Our Mission:

The goal of “The Kayla Foundation” is to provide support to:

Poudre School District students, with financial needs, helping them more fully participate in their school’s music programs.
Poudre School District Schools by helping to enhance their music programs.
Fort Collins, Colorado area non-profit organizations that focus on the needs of children and young adults with providing musical opportunities for their clients

Our Vision:

One day, all school age children in the Fort Collins Colorado area will have equal access to a quality music education, and the music programs at their schools, or non-profit organizations, will be thriving learning and cultural performance centers. (Video)

Her Legacy:

Since 2009, the Kayla Foundation has been making a difference by enabling young people to make music. The Foundation connects local students and young clients with the resources they need for participation in musical opportunities.

Since its Inception, The Kayla Foundation has provided:

Over $130,000, in the form of 460 individual grants to:
- 39 public schools,
- 18 other area non-profits and charter schools and
- 3 district-wide choirs / festivals,
Nearly 50,000 children and young adults have been directly, or indirectly, impacted by our grants

Our Grants:

Financial support is made through direct grants to schools and other local area non-profits, for the purpose of supporting their students / clients and their particular needs. Examples of qualifying funding requests are:

For Lower Income Family / Special Needs Students:

The purchase or rental of uniforms or performance attire.
Basic musical supplies / maintenance (e.g. sheet music / folders, reeds, replacement strings etc.)
Large instrument rental fees or the purchase of small instruments and accessories.
Fees for music retreats, field trips and special opportunity events.
The purchase of music related equipment and supplies to support music therapy programs.
Music related travel expenses (e.g. performance attire, participation fees, sheet music, instruments etc.) to participate in very special musical events (e.g. Carnegie Hall or similar performances requiring travel). For other non-musical related travel expenses please contact Sarah Mart at smart@psdschools.org.

For All Students:

Purchase of music teaching tools, subscriptions, software**, recording media and hardware for the classroom.
The purchase of sheet music and protective folders.
The purchase or repair of instruments, cases, stands and tuners for the classroom.
The purchase of sound system equipment for the school / non-profit.
Costumes, props, music, and sets for school musical productions.
The sponsorship of visiting teaching or performing professionals, and accompanists.
Fees associated with musical events benefiting all music student / clients.

REQUESTING A GRANT

Our Funding Sources:

The Kayla Foundation, a component fund of the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado a 501c3 organization, is funded entirely by the generosity of individual donations, grants awarded, business sponsorships and various fundraising activities such as Colorado Gives 365, Rocky Mountain High School’s Annual Adsit Arts Festival, Kinard Middle School’s annual year end benefit concerts, our annual Gulley Greenhouse Gift Card sales each spring and our annual Human Bean Guest Barista Day. All funds received are, in turn, directed to meet the highest priority needs within our community.