Lakeside School

Programming grants are a way for Lakeside's alumni relations office and the Lakeside Alumni Board to support alumni groups looking to reconnect with old classmates and make new connections with other Lakeside alumni 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 alumni. In our pilot year, programming must take place during reunion weekend, June 9-11, 2023.

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 alumni who share that passion. In that case, alumni programming grants are for you.

These grants will allow you to create a space for your alumni group to meet, share memories, and build relationships across classes. Examples of events could be an alumni game for a sports team, 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 all members of your alumni group.

Affinity groups are Lakeside alumni who shared similar interests while in school or have had similar life experiences since graduating. A few examples might be:  LQBTQ+ alumni, Southeast Asian alumni, Lakeside Swim & Dive alumni,  San Francisco Finance Professionals, Lakeside Orchestra, New York Moms, Lakeside Alumni Medical Professionals.

Fill out the application here, and an Alumni Board representative will contact you to discuss the next steps. While the application deadline is April 15, 2023, applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted, so apply soon!

Complete as much as possible and reach out to the alumni relations office and the Lakeside alumni 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 alumni relations office and the alumni board will provide the following:

●      $5-$15 per alum (depending on size and organization of the event)

●      Outreach information to reach more alumni for your event

●      Administrative support 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 by April 15, 2023 (or earlier!)
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 alumni 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.

When the alumni board approves your application, you will be told the funding you'll receive. Therefore, it's essential to plan your event accordingly and avoid exceeding the allocated amount.

Once you have been allocated a funding amount, keeping your event costs within the allocation is essential. This can be managed in several ways. Examples include: limiting the number of alums who can participate (first come, first served), making slight changes to your plans to accommodate more people (providing appetizers vs. first drink), or asking your peers to pitch in and cover the difference so you can have a joyful and robust gathering!