Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, this is clearly a DC board, given the fact that people are talking about "only" giving $100 or $250. I know for some families, those number are still a lot and intimidating.
As many have said, participation counts for a LOT. So truly, literally, feel free to give $5. And I promise that no one in the development office will think ill of you or thumb their knows at the $5 donation. They'll be happy that you participated and it will help the % of families who donated. And Every bit helps. Every. Bit.

OMG, $5. Are you serious. I have never heard of a single person doing that. $100 is the minimum and when they publish the annual report donation amounts are grouped with
$100,000 being the top tier and $ 250 or less being the lowest tier.

So if a parent sent in a check for $25, your school would say "sorry, we don't want that money, the minimum acceptable donation is $100."?
I sure hope you're just a clueless parent and not someone who actually has anything to do with fundraising.

Agree, give what you can to participate. I also hate that they know prior giving. We made large gifts before DH was laid off; now with tuition increases we can cover full tuition but have little left for the annual fund. When they lead with the high sum I just counter with the modest amount we can contribute.

Private school development staffer here.

OP, say these words to the parent calling: "Thanks so much for volunteering your time. Yes, we'll definitely participate and will let the development office know at what level." Many, many gifts are processed in this way -- and at every level of gift. The parent caller will feel good that they got your commitment to give.

Then, make your decision, send an email to the development office with the amount and tell them to consider it a pledge that will be paid by end of the drive. Often you can make monthly installments that will be automatically debited to your card if you provide that. So, $10 a month for 10 months or whatever.

Even better, preempt the parent calls all together by responding early in the year -- as soon as you get the written annual appeal. You can give $25 and no one will bat an eye in the development office. Hurrah - one last person to call at year's end.

Families who received adjusted tuition are the direct beneficiaries of the Annual Fund, so please be tolerant of the process -- and participate. Those other parents don't know that you're receiving aid. No reason for you or us to tell them so.

Who gets selected to make these calls? Are people volunteering to make the calls or the schools ask their big/"medium" level donors to call?

I used to call parents. Some only gave $50. The bigger fish were called by people in charge. I called for participation.

A $100 donation in 4 installments is as good as some larger donations people promise and then don't deliver without being repeatedly "reminded" by staff.

OP,

When they call back tell them that you will donate $100, or whatever makes sense, that the donation they sought is not possible. Would you rather that they knew you were FA?

Participation rates are important, schools only want folks to donate what they can.

Anonymous wrote:OP, this is clearly a DC board, given the fact that people are talking about "only" giving $100 or $250. I know for some families, those number are still a lot and intimidating.
As many have said, participation counts for a LOT. So truly, literally, feel free to give $5. And I promise that no one in the development office will think ill of you or thumb their knows at the $5 donation. They'll be happy that you participated and it will help the % of families who donated. And Every bit helps. Every. Bit.

OMG, $5. Are you serious. I have never heard of a single person doing that. $100 is the minimum and when they publish the annual report donation amounts are grouped with
$100,000 being the top tier and $ 250 or less being the lowest tier.

I am the pp, and I totally get what you are saying. It is a little creepy to have parents know what you gave the previous year. I make some of those calls for my school, and I get where you are coming from. If it makes you feel any better we do sign confidentiality agreements, and I swear on my life I have never breathed a word to any one about it. I don't even think twice about it, but I know that doesn't mean every one takes it as seriously. It's also very awkward for me to ask a dollar amount. I think it seems tacky but studies show that institutions get more money by doing so. Sometimes I omit the ask amount and just hope the people will give what they can. Don't tell me school that though!

What really irks me is that the parents that are calling know the amount you donated last year. That seriously bothers me. It is one thing to put all the donors on a list and maybe an extra list for the big time donors. But to give an itemized list to parents just feels too transparent and very awkward.

Schools are trying to keep tuition down believe it or not but also simultaneously trying to offer unique programs, pay competitive salaries to retain top teachers, be on the cutting edge of educational technology, maintain great facilities, etc all to the benefit of their current students. Just budgeting to have tuition cover the costs would either raise tuition higher than all of the other schools, or take more full pay students and boot out the FA kids, or they would need to increase enrollment for usage of the same facilities and county codes determine maximum enrollment so that is very hard to petition for. People need to participate in the annual funds at whatever amount the can stretch to so their children can continue to receive the outstanding education and experiences they are getting. Some people are benefitting from the financial generosity of others and some are paying more than their "gap" amount. That's how it works, but just acknowledging the process with a small donation if that's all you can do is fantastic and very helpful.