Why do people give to The Town School?
There is a strong culture of giving at The Town School. Generous donations from parents, alumni/ae, grandparents, faculty and staff, corporations, foundations and friends accounted for $1,413,531 during the 2019-20 school year.
When you choose to give to Town, you support a strong, connected, and diverse community. Your gift enhances our academic programs, provides financial aid, supports our faculty, and improves and maintains our facilities. Whether you give financially and/or of your time, you get so much in return and ensure Town's ability to carry out its mission.
Town deeply appreciates and depends on your donations to provide an extraordinary learning environment for young children. Because tuition alone does not support the cost to educate a student, our donors understand the urgency and necessity of their support.
Unrestricted Annual Giving
Annual Giving dollars directly fund many of the things that make the Town experience so rich for our children, including technology, field trips, financial aid, outside speakers, performances, enhanced facilities and equipment, opportunities for faculty professional development and so much more. Because Annual Giving is strong Town is able to use a smaller percentage of income earned on the endowment. Contributions of all sizes enable the school to allocate resources where they are most needed and make a difference in the life of every Town student.
For more information about Annual Giving, please contact us at advancement@townschool.org.
The Endowment
Town's endowment of $40,700,000 is a permanent, self-sustaining source of funding. Endowment assets are invested, and each year a portion of the earnings, "endowment draw", is paid out for operating expenses while the rest is used to build the fund’s market value. In this way, an endowment fund can grow and can provide support to Town's budget in perpetuity.
Learn more on Town's Financials page.
Directed Giving
While unrestricted gifts give Town the greatest flexibility to use the funds where they are most needed, you may wish to make additional contributions to one or more of these designated funds:
The Esther Kramer Fund
The Board of Trustees enacted this fund in 1997 upon the retirement of Lower School Head Esther Kramer. It provides financial support to families whose children may need additional academic support, such as testing, tutoring or therapy.
Parents' Association Fundraisers
During the school year, the Parents' Association offers services and events that generate funds. The Annual Benefit Auction is the PA's largest fundraiser and offers opportunities to volunteer, purchase goods and services, as well as contribute to designated funds.
Eighth Grade Class Gift
Every year, parents of the graduating class raise money for a special class gift to the school. Recent gifts have included solar panels on the school roof, renovations to the cafeteria, new gym lockers, a wind turbine and a wheelchair lift.