Giving
Supporting Seven Acres Montessori
Annual Giving
The Annual Giving Campaign is a yearly appeal for funds to support our operating budget. Seven Acres Montessori maintains an intentional gap between tuition levels and the actual cost of educating each student in order to attract and serve as many families as possible. Our mission is dedicated to providing a quality Montessori education and moderate tuitions.
The funding gap is filled each year by donations from current parents, past parents, alumni, staff, grandparents, and community friends. Families with currently enrolled students are expected to participate in Annual Giving at a level that is as generous as financial circumstances allow -- every dollar counts. Every gift inspires others to give, and we strive for 100% participation from our families.
Each Annual Giving Campaign is concurrent with our fiscal year, July 1st through June 30th. Donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Spring Fundraiser
In the Spring, Seven Acres hosts an evening event produced through the efforts of a team of parent volunteers and staff. Attendees enjoy delicious fare, and the evening offers a fun opportunity for the parent and staff community to gather in celebration and support of the school. A Live Auction features bidding on unique Class Projects created by the students, various fundraising opportunities, and often musical entertainment.
Guests are also invited to support Seven Acres by purchasing spots and attending a variety of Parent, Student or Family Experiences. These events are hosted by Montessori parents or staff throughout the year, with gatherings that range from an Argentine Tango Crash Course to Teddy Bear Teas for Tots. Over the years, Spring Fundraiser themes have included Imagination, Call of the Drums, Havana Nights, Kentucky Derby and A Night at the Bazaar.
Endowment
The Robert W. Jackson Endowment Fund
Named in memory of beloved Montessori teacher and philanthropist Bob Jackson, the Endowment Fund has a long-term goal of funding 10% of Seven Acres annual operating budget. Endowment income directly supports areas that are both tied to our mission and vital to the health of our school: Program, Staffing, and Tuition Assistance. Oversight of the Endowment Fund is the responsibility of the Board’s Investment Committee, a subcommittee of its Finance Committee.
Our Endowment has grown to over $1M since its inception in 1998 due to the foresight, faith and generosity of many. A healthy Endowment enables Seven Acres to ensure its financial strength and flexibility both now and in the future. In addition, an ever-increasing corpus helps ensure the long-term financial viability of our school. The Endowment Fund is managed with a long-term goal of maintaining generational neutrality, thereby ensuring that current and future generations of students benefit equally from it.
Endowment funds are currently raised through:
- Direct monetary donations designated for Endowment
- Proceeds from the sale of engraved Labyrinth Bricks
- Allocations determined by the Board of Trustees (e.g. operating surplus when annual fundraising amounts exceed goals)
Commonly asked questions about Endowment
Endowment Donations & Order Labyrinth bricks
Special Funds
Beyond supporting our school through Annual Giving and Endowment, restricted gifts may be made to two additional established funds.
Ramani DeAlwis Scholarship Fund
While our Variable Tuition program is supported by our annual operating budget, donors may make gifts specifically to scholarship aid for students in the Elementary and Middle School programs through this fund. A portion of investment return is used to support need and merit-based tuition assistance for Seven Acres Elementary and Middle School students.
Mary Tidball Zeman Staff Development Fund
Staff professional development is supported through the annual operating budget and may be augmented by gifts made by individual donors. Seven Acres supports every staff member's continued professional development and is proud of the culture of professional aspiration and support that exists among all members of our staff. This fund exists to provide donors a way to directly support opportunities for staff through conferences, workshops, consultations, classes, cultural encounters and professional memberships.
A gift to Endowment is a gift in perpetuity
Special Campaigns
Seven Acres periodically engages in special campaigns to raise funds for a specific purpose. Currently we are not in a campaign season, and welcome support through Annual Giving and Endowment.