Palo Alto’s non-profit education foundation, Partners in Education, will be holding its annual Donation Days fundraiser until Friday.

The fundraiser is unique in that every dollar donated will be matched for up to a total of $250,000, thanks to a challenge grant funded by private donors. These donations are tax-deductible.

PiE funds are “crucial” for Palo Alto schools, according to PiE Chair Tina Semba.

“It is the only source of non-district funding for teachers and staff in our schools,” Semba said.

These funds pay for resources such as a full-time college counselors, college essay workshops, guidance counselors for every grade, the Teacher Advisor program and Link Crew activities.

Donation Days are a major part of fundraising; last year “PiE raised about $1 million of its more than $3 million annual target” from the fundraiser, according to communications director Andrea Fleming.

“We’re hoping to do more than that this year,” Fleming added.

PiE was created in 2005 through the merger of the Palo Alto Foundation for Education and the All Schools Fund, in response to a 2002 decision which banned site-based funds for staffing. PiE is currently the only non-profit organization that raises funds for staff in the Palo Alto Unified School District system.

Donations can be made online at www.papie.org/donate, or through a donation form in the PiE box in the main office.