The Manassas City Public Schools Education Foundation closed its FY 25-26 year with a bank balance of $167,899.05 and reported increased scholarship awards and the return of educator grants during a presentation to the Manassas City School Board.
Executive Director Carol Hartt delivered the update, introduced by Director of Public Communications and Community Relations Almeta Radford. Foundation board president Jimmy Conroy was unable to attend.
As of June 30, 2026, the foundation held $52,517 in checking and $115,381 in a money market account, Hartt said. Scholarships awarded totaled $42,700, up from $35,500 the prior year.
New awards included two $1,000 Brown Scholar Community Excellence scholarships. The Dream & Nova scholarship rose to $1,700. The Mason E. Dayton scholarship, funded by the Kiefer family, was doubled. United Bank increased its scholarship to $1,000.
Educator grants returned after a hiatus. The foundation received seven applications and funded five for a total of $10,732.25. One grant supported an analog weather station at Haydon Elementary School that students use for broadcasts, accompanied by a visit from a Telemundo meteorologist who spoke in Spanish and English. Another funded a “Walk in My Shoes” project at Weems Elementary in which fourth-graders decorated blank tennis shoes for an end-of-year parade.
Major support came from several partners. Micron donated $17,000 toward Newsela subscriptions for science and social studies at Grace E. Metz Middle School. Lockheed Martin provided $10,000 for robotics textbooks and STEM supplies at Metz and Osbourn High School, plus $2,500 for the Metz food pantry and a scholarship.
The Manassas Volunteer Fire Foundation contributed $20,000 for four $5,000 scholarships. United Bank gave $5,000. IMEG donated $1,000 toward books for pre-K students. UVA Health provided in-kind support including drawstring bags, laptop cases and CPR equipment.
Hartt noted that about 91 percent of funds raised were designated for specific purposes such as scholarships or restricted programs, while 9 percent were undesignated. Of outflows, 72 percent went to designated programs, 16 percent to undesignated programs and initiatives, and 12 percent to administrative costs. Educator grants are drawn primarily from the undesignated pool, creating a focus on growing those contributions.
The second annual pancake supper raised approximately $2,000 more than the previous year. For FY 27, the foundation plans a spaghetti dinner, continued efforts to increase undesignated funds, a search for a new treasurer, formation of a volunteer committee, process documentation, and donor spotlights on social media.
Hartt, who taught for 23 years at Osbourn High School and occasionally at Metz before seven years in central office, retired after 30 years of service and returned to lead the foundation. She previously taught Conroy Latin at Osbourn.
Undesignated donations are the default when no purpose is specified. The foundation’s website at mcpsedfoundation.org includes a donate button that routes gifts to undesignated funds.
Individuals or organizations interested in creating a scholarship can contact Hartt; the foundation handles most of the process, and donors may choose recipients or rely on a committee and are invited to present awards at Osbourn High School scholarship night.
