S.F. Effort Aims to Draw Private Gifts for Public Schools

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee announced a plan Wednesday to coordinate donations for public education from companies, nonprofits, and individual philanthropists, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce will serve as a clearinghouse for donations and volunteer programs under the banner of UniteSF, which aims to synchronize what have heretofore been largely uncoordinated efforts by firms such as Zynga and LinkedIn to support city schools.

Like a similar partnership in Los Angeles, the San Francisco effort highlights the growing role of private philanthropy in public schools. Its chief goals include boosting graduation rates and improving students’ employment prospects, with a focus on education in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. Nearly a dozen local colleges, law schools, and nonprofits have made commitments to UniteSF.