Anonymous
Post 01/26/2015 09:16     Subject: Annual Giving - what did you give in terms of $?
I used to solicit parent donations for our school and there are families that seem quite wealthy that only donate $100. Maybe they contribute in other ways so I don't judge, but $100 is a great donation, especially if you're on financial aid. All I add is that if you say you will give some amount during the pledge drive, don't then not send it in "pledge not fulfilled" style. It makes it hard for the schools to plan. One year my class got 100% participation - yay! Oh wait, the next year we were down to 85%. Hmmmm.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2015 09:11     Subject: Annual Giving - what did you give in terms of $?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I give $100. We get significant financial aid. That said, donations are listed by category in the annual report (unless you want to remain anonymous) and while there are a few big donors, 5 figure gifts are definitely NOT the norm at our school. Most people give between $100-$1000. This is at a small PK-8 independent.


I am curious how and why you send in $100 to the school when you are receiving a significant amount of financial aid. I happen to agree with you that it is the right thing to do, but others on this thread may disagree.


I'm not the person you're applying to, but I also am on significant FA and send $100.

The amount of tuition I pay allows me to live modestly but comfortably, with the occasional luxury -- and by luxury, I'm talking Six Flags, not the Caribbean.

Skipping the occasional luxury for a month or two allows me to contribute $100 to the Annual Fund. I'm glad to do it because I can (there are some people for whom it would mean skipping rent/car payment) and because I'm grateful to the school and want them to know that, since I know that participation numbers are important.

Fwiw, I got a solicitation letter with $100 as the "ask". So they obviously thought it was the right amount too! Oh, and I sent it in immediately upon the first solicitation, to save them the money of followups.

tl;dr we all do what we can.


We get 50% FA and we send in $250 a year as a thank you. My daughter saves up $100 of that herself.

It is a lot easier to try and save some money and decide how much to spend on the fund than not give any. I am very appreciative of what my daughter gets to go to the school. We help out with volunteering as much as we can too.
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2015 09:36     Subject: Re:Annual Giving - what did you give in terms of $?
All in we're probably in for 10K at one school and 25k for a Capitol campaign at another. (Send your kids to the same school!!) but I disagree that $5 is the same as $100 to someone who is trying to make ends meet. Participation is key to the schools am to matching gifts.

The same rules apply to giving as to life. There are people with less there are people with more. Give what works for your family. But give.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 22:35     Subject: Annual Giving - what did you give in terms of $?
Anonymous wrote:$10,000 a year, one kid at the school, plus buying things at auctions, etc. But I feel the norm is somewhere $3000 or less for most families.

I think the $5 a year responder is a bit crazy. Really, couldn't you give up some Starbucks or one dinner out so you could send in $100? Assuming you can afford the private in the first place.

If you are on scholarship, then I would think the $100 is a good faith effort to say thank you to the school and the others that are contributing to help families like you.

Sorry, I know it is probably an unpopular opinion, but needs to be said.


Agreed and I absolutely need financial aid at the school we've applied to. To comment that you can't afford the $5 you donated to the school? It's a bit insulting.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 19:35     Subject: Annual Giving - what did you give in terms of $?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I give $100. We get significant financial aid. That said, donations are listed by category in the annual report (unless you want to remain anonymous) and while there are a few big donors, 5 figure gifts are definitely NOT the norm at our school. Most people give between $100-$1000. This is at a small PK-8 independent.


I am curious how and why you send in $100 to the school when you are receiving a significant amount of financial aid. I happen to agree with you that it is the right thing to do, but others on this thread may disagree.


I'm not the person you're applying to, but I also am on significant FA and send $100.

The amount of tuition I pay allows me to live modestly but comfortably, with the occasional luxury -- and by luxury, I'm talking Six Flags, not the Caribbean.

Skipping the occasional luxury for a month or two allows me to contribute $100 to the Annual Fund. I'm glad to do it because I can (there are some people for whom it would mean skipping rent/car payment) and because I'm grateful to the school and want them to know that, since I know that participation numbers are important.

Fwiw, I got a solicitation letter with $100 as the "ask". So they obviously thought it was the right amount too! Oh, and I sent it in immediately upon the first solicitation, to save them the money of followups.

tl;dr we all do what we can.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 18:33     Subject: Annual Giving - what did you give in terms of $?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:$10,000 a year, one kid at the school, plus buying things at auctions, etc. But I feel the norm is somewhere $3000 or less for most families.

I think the $5 a year responder is a bit crazy. Really, couldn't you give up some Starbucks or one dinner out so you could send in $100? Assuming you can afford the private in the first place.

If you are on scholarship, then I would think the $100 is a good faith effort to say thank you to the school and the others that are contributing to help families like you.

Sorry, I know it is probably an unpopular opinion, but needs to be said.

And that's why I won't even try to get my kid into a private school. I don't want to be judged this way.


Remind me why exactly you are reading a Private/Independent School thread?


They may have just seen it pop up under Recent Topics.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 18:30     Subject: Annual Giving - what did you give in terms of $?
I give 2% to the annual fund at a small school with low tuition. ($13,000 a year). So $260. I bought $200 worth of items at the annual auction. I donated our beach house for a week, which raised $600.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 13:50     Subject: Annual Giving - what did you give in terms of $?
As some PPs have said, the school wants to be able to claim 100% participation, so even $1 helps them that way; withholding the $1 because you don't think it's enough misses the point.

Regarding teacher participation, we went to a school where the school gave the teachers money to donate, that way they would have the ability to claim 100% teacher donation. (This is a fact that few parents knew; really not talked about) I know, it's all a very weird massage of money, but it's nice to know what is driving the school--and imo, knowing that giving something small is hugely better than nothing is a good thing to know.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 13:42     Subject: Annual Giving - what did you give in terms of $?
Annual fund is about participation. You give what you can. Any amount is welcomed.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 07:19     Subject: Re:Annual Giving - what did you give in terms of $?
We also cover the gap. This year, we gave $1k.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2015 00:00     Subject: Annual Giving - what did you give in terms of $?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:$10,000 a year, one kid at the school, plus buying things at auctions, etc. But I feel the norm is somewhere $3000 or less for most families.

I think the $5 a year responder is a bit crazy. Really, couldn't you give up some Starbucks or one dinner out so you could send in $100? Assuming you can afford the private in the first place.

If you are on scholarship, then I would think the $100 is a good faith effort to say thank you to the school and the others that are contributing to help families like you.

Sorry, I know it is probably an unpopular opinion, but needs to be said.

And that's why I won't even try to get my kid into a private school. I don't want to be judged this way.


Remind me why exactly you are reading a Private/Independent School thread?
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2015 23:50     Subject: Annual Giving - what did you give in terms of $?
Anonymous wrote:$10,000 a year, one kid at the school, plus buying things at auctions, etc. But I feel the norm is somewhere $3000 or less for most families.

I think the $5 a year responder is a bit crazy. Really, couldn't you give up some Starbucks or one dinner out so you could send in $100? Assuming you can afford the private in the first place.

If you are on scholarship, then I would think the $100 is a good faith effort to say thank you to the school and the others that are contributing to help families like you.

Sorry, I know it is probably an unpopular opinion, but needs to be said.

And that's why I won't even try to get my kid into a private school. I don't want to be judged this way.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2015 23:45     Subject: Annual Giving - what did you give in terms of $?
Anonymous wrote:I give $100. We get significant financial aid. That said, donations are listed by category in the annual report (unless you want to remain anonymous) and while there are a few big donors, 5 figure gifts are definitely NOT the norm at our school. Most people give between $100-$1000. This is at a small PK-8 independent.


I am curious how and why you send in $100 to the school when you are receiving a significant amount of financial aid. I happen to agree with you that it is the right thing to do, but others on this thread may disagree.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2015 20:27     Subject: Re:Annual Giving - what did you give in terms of $?
60% FA
$100
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2015 20:14     Subject: Annual Giving - what did you give in terms of $?
have two at school with 30K+ tuition a yr, we gave 5k to annual fund would love to know what other give and what tuition is.