The year was 2003. Several Calgary Board of Education Trustees identified a need to reach out to the Calgary community to support non-core enhancement programs and initiatives for Calgary's public education students.

Established as a non-profit foundation under the original name The Calgary Board of Education Foundation, the trust's initial year involved establishing charitable status, recruiting its Board of Governors, hiring foundation staff, articulating a vision and creating a mission. As well, pioneering donors created the first funds, and the Founding Supporter campaign was launched.

By 2004, the Board of Governors, and a mission, mandate and vision were firmly entrenched. Twenty-seven priority projects and programs from the education sector had been identified, hence emphasizing the critical need to fund public education enhancements. EducationMatters was now proactively engaging the Calgary philanthropic community about supporting these programs as well as student awards.

In January 2005, the trust's name changed to EducationMatters to better reflect its standing as Calgary's public education trust. That same year, the trust carried out careful research to determine the needs in the community, and how best to focus the foundation's efforts both for the student, the donor and Calgary's public education system.

We developed two important priorities - to ensure that disadvantaged children succeed in elementary school and to ensure that all youth are ready for adult life. These priorities would address specific focus areas including literacy, career and life-skills development, leadership and civic engagement. Our donors also indicated their desire to see support for economically disadvantaged and special needs students, ESL/Diversity, athletics, and keeping students in school.

By the end of 2005, EducationMatters had received $2.5 million in contributions from donors, had set up more than 60 endowment and flow through funds, and had distributed nearly $1 million in grants towards enhancement programs and student awards.   In 2006, the foundation launched its PLUS Campaign to raise another $5 million over the next 3 years.

By the of 2008, the Trust had realized it's goal of $5 million in donations and pledges and had granted $2 million to enhancement programs and student awards.  As well, the Trust, along with its Funders for Youth Partners, had launched the Kafe12 initiative, a community engagement vehicle with the goal of improving Calgary's high school complete rate 20% by 2020.

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