Lakeside School

Programming grants are a way for Lakeside's alum relations office and the Lakeside Alum Board to support alums looking to reconnect with old classmates and make new connections with other Lakeside alums that share similar interests. These grants are not to be used to support class gatherings. Programming must span multiple class years, be affinity-based in nature, and only open to Lakeside alums. Programming can take place between September-June as long as the event does not conflict with the Lakeside alum event calendar. 

Suppose you remember being a passionate member of an affinity group, club, or sports team at Lakeside and want to reconnect and meet other Lakeside alums who share that passion. In that case, programming grants are for you.

These grants will allow you to create a space for alums to meet, share memories, and build relationships across classes. Examples of events could be an alum swim meet, a meetup at a local brewery, coffee in a park, a themed movie night, a hackathon, or anything else that you think would be accessible and fun to the group of alums you're inviting. 

For the purpose of programming grants, we define affinity groups as Lakeside alums who shared similar interests while in school or have had similar life experiences since graduating. Examples might include: LGBTQ+ alums, Southeast Asian alums, Lakeside baseball alums, San Francisco finance professionals, Lakeside orchestra alums, New York moms, and Lakeside alumni medical professionals.

Fill out the application here, and we will contact you to discuss the next steps. 

Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis at each review date, until funds are exhausted. Please plan ahead and apply early. The grant pool resets in June.

Complete as much as possible and reach out to the alum relations office and the Lakeside alum board with a request to submit an incomplete application. A representative of either group may request a meeting to help you complete your application.

The alum relations office and alum board will provide:

●  $5–$15 per alum, depending on the size and structure of the event
●  Outreach support to help you connect with more alums
●  Administrative assistance to help make your event happen

To be an organizer, you will need to:

1. Find one additional alumnus or a Lakeside sponsor to organize the event with you
2. Apply between June-December.
3. Promote your event via an email campaign, social media, or another outreach program.
4. Host your event!
5. Document expenses and provide receipts for reimbursement.

Your application will be approved once you complete the application and show that your event can be feasibly executed. Additionally, your event must include any alums who belong to your affinity group and must adhere to Lakeside's shared values.

Due to this being a pilot year for programming grants, the budget for this year is limited. Therefore, applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted and chances for approval are increased the earlier you apply.

Once the alum board approves your application, you'll be informed of your funding amount. Please plan your event accordingly and avoid exceeding the approved budget.

Once your funding amount has been allocated, it’s important to keep your event costs within that budget. There are several ways to manage this, such as:

• Limiting the number of alums who can participate (e.g., first come, first served)
• Adjusting your plans to stretch the budget
  • example: offering appetizers instead of covering the first drink
• Inviting your peers to pitch in and help cover additional costs to make the gathering even more joyful and robust