Crete Public Schools has been supported for decades by a charitable giving, non-profit organization. That organization, founded in 1992, was, until recently, the Crete Public Schools Trust.
It now goes by the name of Crete Public Schools Foundation. The CPS Foundation is the district's 501(c)(3) charitable giving foundation.
Along with a new, more fitting name, the Foundation also has, for the first time, a director: Marilea Thiem. Thiem has been on board since earlier this year after spending many years in the Crete community as the Teammates coordinator, Doane University events director and the Crete Area Medical Center marketing and foundation director.
The Crete Public Schools Foundation Board consists of 11 board members. The board members volunteer their time. The board members either attended CPS themselves or their children have attended. In some instances, the board members represent multiple generations of Crete Cardinals.
The mission of Crete Public Schools Foundation is to enhance student educational opportunities by seeking, securing, and managing resources for scholarships, teacher grants, and alumni relations.