Frequently Asked Questions

InvestED is a statewide education nonprofit which helps low-income students “Get to School, Engage in School, and Graduate”.Each academic year, we provide funding to nearly 700 secondary schools all across Washington State. See some examples of our impact.

Many of the young people we serve are brilliant and talented – but they’re experiencing financial hardships beyond their control. Far too many kids struggle to access basic needs like nutrition, clothing, transportation, or purchasing ASB cards which are required to participate in school activities. They could take the advanced level coursework - or star on their schools’ sports teams - or be musical standouts in their schools’ bands. But they simply don’t have the money to pay for AP and IB course fees, or athletic equipment and fees, or even renting musical instruments for the year. For nearly 60 years, InvestED has been stepping in to help fill these gaps.

InvestED’s model is simple but powerful, centered on trusting local educators to make the decisions on how our funds are best used to support their students. Our funding helps bridge the gap between what families can afford, what public schools can support, and what students urgently need to achieve. All with no red tape!

During the 2020-21 academic year – thanks to generous support from our donors and partners – InvestED’s funding assisted more than 320,000 students in need statewide. That’s nearly 1 in 3 students enrolled in Washington’s K-12 public schools.

InvestED is a long-time supporter of the North Central Education Service District 171.During the 2020-21 academic year, InvestED and our generous partners provided over $250,000 to the NCESD 171. Local educators used those funds to directly impact more than 9,000 students.

The NCESD 171 serves over 40,000 students or 4% of the state’s kindergarten through grade 12 enrollment. It serves 29 school districts in this region which includes Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties. These school districts vary in size from Wenatchee and Moses Lake with over 8,500 students to Stehekin with 15 students.

Visit www.ncesd.org to learn more.

InvestED actively partners with 19 school districts and nearly 40 schools in the NCESD 171. [During the 2020-21 academic year, InvestED provided over $250,000 to the NCESD 171. Local educators used those funds to directly impact more than 9,000 students.]

See a full list of the schools and districts InvestED partners with in NWESD 189

PURPOSE: To rally more local support for the students and schools InvestED serves in North Central Washington. This fundraiser is a collaborative effort between NCESD 171 and InvestED - we invite the community to join our ongoing commitment to the region.

GOAL: To raise at least $20,000 in additional support from parents, businesses, community groups and others who care about young people in the region. Public schools and educators cannot do it alone. Students and families cannot do it alone. See a list of our partner schools in the region.

TIMELINE: This campaign runs through November 30, 2021. Overall success will be heavily influenced by the levels of local support. This is an extraordinary opportunity for individuals, businesses, and communities across North Central Washington to take bold action for a big impact.

All funds raised through this campaign are in addition to what InvestED has already provided to NCESD 171 for the 2021-22 academic year. See some educator testimonials on how InvestED funds are used to make a real difference in their kids’ lives.

InvestED will send 100% of designated funds to our partner schools in the region . At end of the academic year, to ensure transparency and accountability, each school will provide a clear report on how funds were used.

Raising at least $20,000 in community support is an ambitious goal, but no less urgent given the range of challenges that many students are facing. This campaign ends on Nov. 30th, so we have time to meet this goal together! Every contribution to this effort, no matter how “small”, can make a big impact on the lives of vulnerable kids.

InvestED is a public charity. All gifts are tax deductible. Our Tax ID is 23-7189670.

Online Donations can be made directly through InvestED’s website. Our donor portal has a search feature which can be used to find specific schools in NCESD 171 to designate your gifts.

Donations can be made via check.
Make checks payable to “InvestED” and mail to our office address:
606 Oakesdale Ave. SW, Suite C202
Renton, WA 98057

Stock Donations. If you would like to make a gift of stock to our organization, we would be happy to provide stock transfer instructions to you. It is a simple, straightforward process. Our team can provide you with the name of our brokerage firm, the brokerage firm’s DTC number, the account name and number, and the telephone number and name of our broker contact. Please note that it is important that the securities be transferred prior to being sold in order to avoid capital gains taxation.

Workplace and Employee Giving Campaigns. This is an excellent way for individual donors to support our organization, or for teams of employees to adopt our nonprofit and crowdfund. Many companies also provide matching dollars for employee giving, providing a great way to maximize impact and value. Contact our team directly and/or contact your company’s giving office for more information.

Become a Monthly Donor. You can donate on your own terms with manageable monthly gifts. Whether donating to InvestED or designating your gift to specific schools in our NCESD 171 partner network, know that your dollars have a direct impact on promising young people in your community. Some companies will also match employee gifts to nonprofits. Sign up today!

IRA Charitable Rollover. If you are 70½ or older, an IRA charitable rollover may be an option for you. For more details, contact your IRA plan administrator to make a gift from your IRA to InvestED. Let them know if you’d like to designate the gift to a particular partner school or schools. Please note that IRA charitable rollover gifts may not qualify for a charitable deduction.

Yes! Donors can designate their gifts to one or more InvestED partner schools in your area. At conclusion of the campaign, any funds designated for specific campuses will be sent to those schools.

Donors can also make gifts to the campaign without designating a specific school. At conclusion of campaign, any funds that have not been designated for specific schools will be equitably disbursed to our school network across the region.

Our online donor portal also has a search feature to help find schools in the NCESD 171.

Read some of our Sample Student Impact Stories.These testimonials are provided by educators who see our impact firsthand. Join us!

InvestED’s model is simple but powerful, centered on trusting local educators to make the decisions on how our funds are best used to support their students.

Whenever an educator sees a child in need, there is no paperwork for students to complete or permission slips for parents to sign. School staff are empowered to intervene immediately to remove the barrier(s) preventing that child from fully engaging in school.All with no red tape!

Educators use our funds to help students cover costs for classroom and personal needs; school fees and special services; health and medical needs; sports activities and school activities; COVID-19 related needs, and much more. See Sample Ways We Help Students..

At the beginning of each school year, InvestED allocates funding to nearly 700 partner schools based on the student population and percentage of students qualifying for the Free and Reduced Lunch program (based on their family income).

To facilitate our work, school personnel are trained to be InvestED Coordinators. These educators are school staff, not InvestED employees. As InvestED Coordinators, they help identify their students who need help then use our funds to provide immediate and discrete assistance. Within each school, there may be a team of educators who support the coordinator. For some smaller schools, teams may consist of an additional teacher or guidance counselor. In some larger schools, educator teams may include broader support from principals, coaches, or other staff.

Throughout the year, InvestED helps boost support for schools through our Student Equity through Every Donation (S.E.E.D.) Program. This program enables donors to designate 100% of their gifts to a partner school, or schools, within their community. Additionally, through our $500 School Match Program, partner schools are eligible for up to $500 in matching funds each year, as long as funds are available.

At the end of each school year, InvestED Coordinators provide detailed expenditure reports and demographic data on students served. They also share real-world examples and testimonials of how students are impacted by InvestED’s programs.

We are always seeking new partners and donors to help support more students. Please contact us to explore opportunities.

For all general inquiries about InvestED or the NCESD 171 Regional Fundraiser, or to become a corporate/community sponsor for this urgent campaign, please contact InvestED’s Director of Investments and Partnerships: Andre’ Wesson, awesson@invested.org.

InvestED has worked closely with the Superintendent’s office in NCESD 171 to coordinate this campaign. If you are a parent, educator, or school-affiliated organization seeking more information, please contact Andre’ Wesson who can help connect you with the office.