Roadmap for Education Foundations

Roadmap for Education Foundations: A Practical Guide to Building and Growing K–12 Support is a comprehensive, step-by-step resource for communities seeking to strengthen their public schools through an education foundation. Co-authored by Gail Rothman, the guide distills decades of experience into practical tools, proven strategies, and real-world guidance for launching, growing, and sustaining high-impact foundations.

Designed for school districts, board members, and community leaders, the Roadmap walks readers through essential elements of effective foundation development—from establishing clear purpose and governance structures to building fundraising capacity, engaging the community, and creating programs that deliver measurable results.

The book provides a clear framework that helps new foundations start strong and helps existing foundations refine their operations and increase their impact.

At Rothman Solutions, the principles in the Roadmap inform our approach to partnering with communities: bringing clarity to complex work, building solid organizational infrastructure, and ensuring that education foundations can move from good intentions to lasting impact for students and educators.

Here is what Newton County Schools Board Member Trey Bailey had to say about Roadmap for Education Foundations: A Practical Guide to Building and Growing K-12 Support: 

I’ve never been one for subtlety, so I’ll just say it: Roadmap for Education Foundations might be one of the most practical, inspiring books I’ve read in a long time—and that’s not something I say lightly.

Gail Rothman and Robin Callahan have written the only comprehensive, accessible guide of its kind—a book designed for anyone passionate about building or growing a K-12 education foundation in their community. No drama, no fluff. Just a beautifully designed, clear-as-day blueprint for making a lasting difference in public education.

And here’s what gets me: This isn’t just a book for superintendents, school board members, or PTO presidents. This is for any community member who’s ever looked around and asked, “How can I help?”