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The WHSD Foundation and the Woodland Hills Academic Foundation are merging

NOTE: This story originally ran in the Fall 2009 edition of IN Woodland Hills magazine.

The Boards of Directors of the Woodland Hills Academic Foundation and the Woodland Hills School District Foundation have voted unanimously this summer to consolidate. The new organization will be called the “Woodland Hills Foundation” and the two 501 (c) 3 organizations will begin working together for the 2009-10 school year as they work toward merging the entities officially. The target date to become a single legal entity is Jan. 1, 2010.

Both organizations are excited about the change and foresee a very positive impact that one single organization representing the District will produce, especially when approaching Foundations, Grantors and the public with promotion and marketing efforts. A single entity enhances the ability to raise significant external funds for the School District.

Chris Longwill, president of the Woodland Hills Academic Foundation (WHAF), is looking forward to stronger Foundation that can expand existing successful programs, and even adding new ones. “The WHAF Board felt that by combining our two organizations, it is a win-win situation for both groups. WHSD Foundation has been putting together an outstanding marketing effort with the goal of funding several ambitious new programs. WHAF has existing programs that are sometimes a challenge to fully fund with our grassroots solicitation approach,” explained Longwill.

One immediate advantage of merging the two Foundations is combining the program successes of WHAF such as the mini-grant program, the scholarships, and the All-District Art Show, with the WHSDF marketing approach. “It’s clear,” said Longwill that both organizations dedicated to the same principles. Both of our missions is to help promote the District and help provide support for a quality education for each and every child in our District schools.”

Longwill stressed, “It is important that everyone, including our District staff, realize that the WHAF programs: Mini Grants, Senior Scholarships, and the Art Show programs, will remain funded and hopefully will have more support due to the merger. The Woodland Hills School District, and especially our students, will benefit immensely from this merger.”

The president of the Board of Trustees of the WHSD Foundation, Dr. Steve Gough, echoed Longwill’s statements. “I agree with Chris's comments that this is a win-win, not only for both of the foundations, but more importantly for our students and our community. The Home Depot project (see separate article) that the WHSD Foundation is managing has already started to help the community and the families of our students. The expanded ability of a merged foundation will only strengthen the work we have both been doing. Combining the human capital of both foundations is the best way to move forward,” said Gough.

“Starting with the success and history of the Academic Foundation, coupling that with the
broader view and goals of WHSD Foundation is truly a better future for both organizations, summed up Gough.

The Woodland Hills Academic Foundation was formed in 1999 as a private non-profit association devoted to supporting, enhancing, and promoting academic opportunities throughout the public schools of Woodland Hills School District.

The WHSD Foundation was initially launched in September 2007 and achieved non-profit designation in July 2008. It was established as an independent non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging community-wide participation and philanthropy to enhance opportunities for all students, staff and faculty in the Woodland Hills School District.

As the work of the newly merged entity, the WOODLAND HILLS FOUNDATION, continues, news will be communicated about their efforts in this magazine. The newly combined organization will concentrate their efforts on the following projects in the 2009-2010 school year:
  • Mini-Grants 
  • Pennsylvania Tax Credit
  • Senior Scholarships 
  • The Julia Anne McCool Memorial Arts and Humanities Scholarship 
  • 2010 All-District Art Show 
  • Alumni Cabaret 
  • Red Carpet Musical Gala
For additional information about both organizations, please check out their web sites (www.whaf.info and www.whsdfoundation.org). If you would like to contact the Foundations or would like to volunteer or make a tax-deductible contribution, please call

1.888.281.3241 or email info@whsdfoundation.org or call 412-823-2652 or email whaf.clongwill@yahoo.com.


A Brief Overview of WHAF

Since its inception in 1999, the Woodland Hills Academic Foundation has:
  • Administered the school district's Mini-Grant Program. Mini-grants are modest cash awards that encourage and facilitate great teaching ideas. Since 2002, they have funded 88 Mini-Grants totaling more than $39,800. 
  • Awarded scholarships to graduating seniors pursuing post-secondary education at non-four-year schools. To date, 14 scholarships worth $9,500 have been awarded. 
  • Sponsored the 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 All District Art Show, which yearly features the artwork of over 300 K-12 Woodland Hills students and their art teachers. 
  • Awarded annual Julia Ann McCool Memorial Scholarships for the Arts and Humanities in 2008 and 2009 worth $4,000.

The District’s championship athletic teams have supporters. Our outstanding musical programs have promoters. And our District is enhanced by parent-teacher organizations that fund school activities as well as volunteers who assist in the classroom and elsewhere in the schools. Woodland Hills School District also has an organization that exists to support, enhance and promote academic opportunities throughout the public schools - the Woodland Hills Academic Foundation. Now this organization is merging with the District’s other foundation to form a new, single non-profit, tax-exempt organization to help promote and expand the District’s programs.