Oak Park and River Forest High School has received $5 million of the $12.5 million the Imagine Foundation pledged toward the school's nearly $102 million Project 2 construction, oakpark.com reported.

The gap matters now. OPRF is using its operating funds to cover Project 2 expenses that future foundation donations are expected to repay. Brian Imhoff, OPRF's director of finance, said the school is transferring money from operating funds to cover donations not yet received. Once those donations arrive, the district would transfer less to its 10-Year Maintenance Plan to balance the books.

Executive director Heidi Ruehle said the foundation has raised or secured commitments for $12.2 million and that fundraising continues. That figure includes a $3.5 million state construction grant the foundation helped OPRF pursue through State Sen. Don Harmon's office. OPRF expects to receive the grant during the 2026-27 fiscal year.

Another $1 million check is expected to reach OPRF by the end of 2026. Beyond that, donations will continue arriving through 2030 under multiyear gift agreements with larger donors. OPRF's five-year financial projections show the school expects $1.5 million from the foundation in 2026-27, $1 million in 2027-28 and $500,000 in each of the three years after that.

The foundation's actual fundraising target is $15 million. The extra $2.5 million would cover operating costs, including staff salaries and fundraising expenses. The foundation's 2024 IRS tax return, the most recent available, shows $325,939 in salary expenses for its three employees.

"We are 100% confident that we will definitely accomplish the 12.5 (million dollars) commitment to the high school but we need to raise money in addition to that to be able to cover the last four or five years of expenses, fundraising expenses," Ruehle said.

Project 2, the new physical education wing in the school's southeast corner, includes a swimming pool and a third-floor gym. The pool opening was pushed back to Nov. 1. OPRF has spent $44.2 million in cash reserves and borrowed roughly $45 million to fund the project.

If the District 200 Board of Education moves forward with Act 3, the arts-focused next phase of the Imagine plan, Ruehle said the foundation intends to shift its fundraising toward that project.