Donations to the Los Altos Educational Foundation help the Los Altos School District fund teachers and programs at your school. 

Quick donation by credit card
See Ways to Donate below

• The suggested donation for 2026-27 is $1,800 (or $200 per month) per student. Gifts of any amount are appreciated!
• Join LAEF's Leadership Circle by donating $6,000 or more. Learn about LAEF's Leadership Circle and our giving levels.
• Corporate Matches can be applied toward your total gift amount. Both parents can apply.
• Support LAEF and your school's PTA. Learn about the LASD Education Partners.

Ways To Donate

Credit Card: Make a one-time or monthly/recurring donation with a credit/debit card or via your PayPal account. You must have a PayPal account or create one to make an online recurring donation.

Stock: Make a larger impact by donating long-term appreciated stock, bonds, and mutual funds directly to LAEF. Compared with donating cash or selling your appreciated securities and contributing the after-tax proceeds, you may potentially increase your gift and tax donation. Fill out the Donate or Pledge form to let us know the name of the stock you’re transferring and the number of shares you wish to donate.

Bank ACH Transfer (eCheck): Reduce processing fees by making your donation directly from your bank account through PayPal. 

Check or Cash: Make your check payable to LAEF and mail it to LAEF at PO Box 98, Los Altos, CA 94023. Alternatively, you can drop cash or a check in the LAEF box in your school's office. Fill out the Donation or Pledge form to let us know your contribution is on its way.

Payroll Deduction Through Your Employer: You may be able to donate to LAEF via a payroll deduction for one-time or recurring donations through your employer and have the option to apply for a Corporate Match at the same time. Alternatively, you can donate to LAEF and request a match from your company after you donate. Fill out this Donate or Pledge form to let us know your plans to donate; it may take 6-8 weeks or more for LAEF to be notified of your contribution through your employer.  

Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Grants: A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a charitable account with a sponsoring organization that allows you to combine favorable tax benefits with the flexibility to support your favorite causes. Visit the Tax Law Changes page for information about donating via DAF.

You can recommend a gift to LAEF by contacting your financial institution, foundation, or Daffy.org and providing this information: Los Altos Educational Foundation, Tax ID #94-2862793. For your convenience, you can search for your DAF using the link below. Please fill out the Donation or Pledge form to let us know your DAF contribution is on its way. Note: You can contribute stock to LAEF directly. Please see the Stock section below.

Pledge: Pledge today and fulfill your Pledge by June 30: Fill out the Donate or Pledge form to let us know that we can count on your support this year. Fulfill your pledge by June 30 to be included in our annual grant to the district and be listed in our annual report.

Crypto: As long as you've owned the crypto for more than a year and it has appreciated, you'll avoid paying capital gains taxes and receive a tax deduction for the full market value of the crypto in the year it was donated. You can donate cryptocurrency via Daffy.org's secure LAEF donation page.

Other Ways to Support LAEF

• Find out if your company offers Corporate Matching and increase the impact of your gift. (Both parents can apply.) 
• If you are a real estate agent, office, or affiliate, support public education in your community by joining the Honor Roll of Realty program. Get exposure to thousands of families in the Los Altos School District and the broader community.
• Tribute Gift: Make a gift in honor or memory of someone.
• If you're 70 1/2 years old or older, you can give from your Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA) through a qualified charitable distribution without paying income tax.
• Make an investment in educating our students for years to come by making a gift through your Estate, a Foundation Grant, an In-Kind Donation, or through our LAEF Endowment. For more information, contact the LAEF office at admin@laefonline.org or (650) 559-0445.

If you have more questions about ways to donate to LAEF, contact us and let’s talk.

If you'd like your donation to remain anonymous in our annual report, please inform us about your gift so we can update our records accordingly.

Thank you for your support!