The Educational Foundation has raised funds through generous corporate and individual contributions received through its two signature and well-attended annual events. Each year the Foundation has hosted a community-wide Recognition Breakfast and successfully hosted a golf tournament. In addition, school district employees have designated the Foundation as their United Way beneficiary and have raised thousands of dollars to support the foundation's mission.

Funds raised by Educational Foundation programs supplement but do not supplant existing revenue sources for the Syracuse City School District . All funds received by the Foundation at its annual events and through charitable donations are returned to the schools in the form of education grants for projects that would otherwise not have been possible in the Syracuse City Schools. Grant applications are distributed to school principals and teachers twice each year. The Syracuse City School District is comprised of 38 schools and over 22,000 children. The Educational Foundation's grants program has successfully provided funding for a wide array of educational resources ranging from educational technology, class programming aides, books, tutorial programs, supplies, instructional software programs, equipment, and the components necessary for presentations and classroom initiatives. An 11-person grants committee of the Board of Directors reviews all grants and presents their recommendations to the full board for approval.

The SCSD Educational Foundation volunteers are first and foremost its dedicated Board of Directors. In addition, the Foundation has benefited from the volunteer involvements, commitments, and contributions from each school's administrators, staff, teachers, councilors, and has strong support from the Superintendent of Schools and District Administration.