December 2025 Newsletter

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.

We’ve always believed that when a community comes together to support public education, everyone wins. This year’s Cowboy Up and Oktoberfest have solidified that belief. We are incredibly grateful to all of our sponsors, volunteers, and donors who helped make this our biggest event season yet. Between Cowboy Up and Oktoberfest we netted more than $60,000! These funds are already being dispensed in both teacher grants and experiential learning grants in all six of Carbondale’s public schools. This community has shown up in powerful ways, and because of your support, we’re well underway funding several high-impact projects.

If you’re interested in getting involved in the foundation beyond volunteering for events, please consider attending some of our board meetings to learn more about our work. We typically meet on the third Wednesday of the month at the board room in the Third Street Center from 6-8pm. Please reach out to Jamie Nims at info@carbondaleeducationfoundation.org if you’d like to get involved or with any questions.

Thank you for your generosity, your passion, and your belief in our students and educators. Carbondale Education Foundation is powered by community members who understand that investing in our public schools is investing in the long-term success and health of Carbondale itself. We are incredibly grateful for your partnership and for the support you continue to show for our teachers, staff, and students.

With appreciation,

Carbondale Education Foundation

See below for updates on our grant programs and upcoming fundraising efforts

Exciting Updates from the 2025-2026 School Year

Back-to-School Supply Fund

This fall, CEF paid $32,500 to provide school supplies for our most vulnerable students across Carbondale’s district schools. These funds helped ensure that every child began the school year with the tools they needed to learn, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.

Experiential Learning Fund

CEF has established a new $30,000 fund dedicated to experiential education opportunities. Teachers across all Carbondale public schools—including charter schools—can apply to use these dollars for field trips, guest speakers, and authentic learning experiences that connect classroom content to the wider world. We believe that students learn best when they can see, touch, explore, and connect their learning to real places and real people, and this fund is designed to make that possible. From major excursions across the state to a simple trip to the local tortillaria to learn how tortillas are made, this fund is designed to help all students in Carbondale have unforgettable learning experiences.

CRES elementary students were able to participate in Art for the Sky this fall thanks to our new experiential learning fund. Every student at CRES had the chance to work with artist Daniel Dancer to create an interactive art project that involved creating a giant ram on the field with students serving as the medium. https://vimeo.com/1115530046

This spring, all 7th graders at Carbondale Middle School will have the chance to participate in a three-day outdoor education experience at the Keystone Science School thanks to a combination of the CEF experiential learning funds and other fundraising. These students will have an incredible opportunity to connect to science, the environment, and one another.

Teacher Grants for Classroom Supplies

We continue to maintain an ongoing fund to support teachers with the materials they need to do their best work. We consider it our responsibility as a community to invest in our teachers and the environments they create for our children. We’ve already approved nearly $20,000 in teacher grants for the 2025-2026 school year and the grant cycle remains open continuously so that when teachers come up with great ideas for their classrooms and their students, we’re here to support their work.

Looking Ahead: Giving Tuesday and Colorado Gives Day

As we approach the season of giving, we are launching new fundraising campaigns for Giving Tuesday and Colorado Gives Day. These campaigns will support the next wave of student services, educator support initiatives, and school-based enrichment opportunities. Please keep an eye out for more details about how you can participate and help us continue this momentum.