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Colorado voters will be weighing in on school funding. Here’s something worth knowing about as we look ahead to the fall. This November, Colorado voters will decide on a ballot question that may change how the state funds schools. But first, some background! Colorado has a rule called TABOR that limits how much tax money the state can keep and spend each year. If the state collects more than that limit, the extra gets refunded to taxpayers. This fall, voters will decide somet

Mark your calendars — Oktoberfest is back on Saturday, October 17! Last year’s resurgence of our beloved community event was so successful that we’re doing it again. Join us for an unforgettable evening featuring live music, local beer, and great food, all in support of a cause that strengthens our community. Oktoberfest is the Carbondale Education Foundation's primary fundraiser, helping provide critical resources and opportunities for students and teachers throughout Carbon

Forward this email to friends and family who want to support our schools! A note of gratitude: Thank you for supporting the Carbondale Education Foundation and our students during the 2025–2026 school year. We truly couldn’t do this work without you! As the school year comes to a close and we head into summer, we’re hoping you’ll help us grow our communication network so we can reach more families, parents, and community members across Carbondale. Our work doesn’t end just be

Good news: You can help support our schools without spending a penny! It’s called the City Market Community Rewards program, and it’s one of the easiest ways to make a difference for Carbondale classrooms. If you already shop at our local City Market, you’ve already done 95% of the work. By linking your City Market account to the Carbondale Education Foundation (CEF), a portion of your regular grocery spending goes toward supporting students and teachers across our local scho

A quick look at how CEF supports Carbondale schools A lot of the work CEF does happens quietly. There’s no big announcement when a classroom gets new materials, or when a teacher launches a project to excite students about learning. It just… happens. But those moments are exactly where community support shows up inside our schools. For the 2025–2026 school year, the Carbondale Education Foundation committed funding in several key areas designed to support both students and te

If you’ve been paying attention to local news lately, you may have noticed: chatter about school funding is a pretty big conversation here in the Roaring Fork Valley. Across Colorado — and across the country — districts are facing rising costs, staffing shortages, and tighter budgets. It’s a complicated moment for public education. In the RFV, those same conversations are happening too. In fact, a recent article in the Post Independent highlighted how many Colorado teachers a

If you’ve lived in Carbondale for a while, you’ve probably heard the name Carbondale Education Foundation floating around town. Maybe you saw us at Oktoberfest (Because yes, we brought it back!). Maybe someone mentioned a teacher grant. Maybe you’ve wondered… what are they actually doing?! Fair question. The short answer: we help fund the ideas, tools, and experiences that make learning stronger in our local schools. CEF supports students, teachers, and administrators at: Cry

Sometimes a simple thank-you goes a long way. Last month, something pretty great happened in Carbondale. On February 6, teachers and school staff from across town gathered at the RVR Barn for a simple night off. No agendas. No presentations. Just good food, drinks, and a whole lot of laughter. CEF hosts an annual Teacher Appreciation Night because the people who show up for our students every day deserve a moment where the community shows up for them. Teachers played round af

Dear Carbondale Community, This fall has been nothing short of inspiring for the Carbondale Education Foundation. Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of our sponsors, volunteers, educators, and families, both Oktoberfest and Cowboy Up Carbondale were tremendous successes. These two community events brought together hundreds of residents, celebrated our local educators, and raised significant funds that will directly support public school students right here in Carbondale. W

Dear Community Members, It’s hard to believe that another summer is behind us and the 2025-26 school year is well underway! Classrooms...

Dear Community Members, As you've likely read in the papers, the Roaring Fork School District is dealing with some major financial...

Dear Friends, It’s been a whirlwind start to the school year and we’ve got some exciting updates to share. As always, thank you for your...

We're thrilled to announce that thanks to this community's amazing support we were able to raise over $34,000 at Cowboy Up in August!...

Dear Friends, In discussions about the health of a community, education is frequently overlooked or simply critiqued without support, yet...

Great news! Thanks to the generous support of so many members of this amazing community, we are now accepting teacher grant applications!...

Dear Friends, The Carbondale Education Foundation was founded as a new 501(c)3 just over 8 months ago with the goal of bringing our...

We are excited to announce that a generous anonymous donor is providing a $40,000 in-kind donation to furnish the new school-based health...

We're incredibly honored and humbled to announce that we have met our $25,000 donation match. We can not express our gratitude enough to...

We have some exciting news to share: CEF has been selected as this year's non-profit beneficiary for the annual Cowboy Up Carbondale...

CEF President Jamie Nims sat down with Jeanne Souldern at the Sopris Sun to discuss CEF and our initial fundraising efforts for the...