Brief History

It was 1992, the State of California was hit hard by an economic slump, state budgets were being slashed, and as a result school budgets were shrinking. Amid increasing concerns about the budget effects on the quality of education in Hermosa Beach, a group of school parents and local residents formed a foundation in support of better education.

The Hermosa Beach Education Foundation is a nonprofit corporation whose mission is to raise funds to enhance the quality of the learning experience in our public schools.

The foundation is one of several hundred similar organizations in California that have formed to combat the alarming cut backs and shortfalls in state and federal education funding.  Local businesses, residents, parents and community groups are solicited for funds.  As a nonprofit, the foundation may also apply for grants from corporate and private foundations. 

The very first donation to HBEF was from the Hermosa Beach Rotary for $500. Since then, the Hermosa Beach Education Foundation has granted more than $1,000,000 to the Hermosa Beach City School District to fund instructional programs in science, technology, foreign language and the arts.