You may click on the DONATE button below to donate through PayPal.

You will receive a written acknowledgment of your gift from our Business Office within two weeks. If you do not, then please contact our Business Manager, Cyndy Caughron to verify receipt at ccaughron@cwaldorf.org or (434) 973-4096.

Sincerely,
Charlottesville Waldorf School

Annual Giving Appeal Q & A

What is the Annual Giving Appeal?
The Annual Giving Appeal is a direct appeal to trustees, parents, grandparents, alumni parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends for financial contributions in support of the school’s operating budget.
What are the major components of the school’s operating budget?
About 74% of our operating budget is used to fund salaries and benefits for teachers and staff, and about 16% covers facilities costs such as rent and utilities. The remaining 10% supports programs, marketing, maintenance, cleaning, and insurance.

Why is Annual Giving necessary?
In 2011/2012, tuition and other fees will cover about 93% of the annual operating expenses of the school, and the purpose of the Annual Fund is to help bridge this gap. Last year, tuition and fees covered only 90% of operating expenses. Income from the Holiday Bazaar, Spring Gala, classroom rentals and SCRIP also goes toward annual operating expenses.

Why not raise tuition?
No independent school could charge the full cost of educating its students without pricing itself out of the market. That’s why every independent school has an Annual Giving Appeal. In addition, tuition is a non-tax-deductible contracted contribution to the school, while gifts to Annual Giving are fully tax-deductible. At CWS we strive for economic diversity by trying to offer some portion of financial aid to all families who demonstrate need. Currently, over 65% of our students receive financial aid.

What makes the Charlottesville Waldorf School an independent school?
We design our own program and curriculum, operate with limited financial support (less than $5,000) from federal or state government agencies, and are self-governed by our Board of Trustees and our College of Teachers. Unlike public schools, which are funded by tax dollars, independent schools rely solely upon tuition revenues and philanthropic gifts to meet their operating and capital expenses.
Are there other fundraising activities besides Annual Giving at CWS?
Yes. In addition to asking everyone in the school to participate in Annual Giving, we have several events and ongoing projects each year that strive to raise significant funds. These include the Holiday Bazaar, Spring Gala, and the SCRIP program. Each of these helps to raise funds for the operating budget.

Who supports Annual Giving?
Every segment of the school community supports Annual Giving. Last year, we had more than 68 contributions from trustees, parents, grandparents & special friends, alumni parents, faculty & staff, businesses and foundations, for a total of $16,709. Unfortunately, this was significantly short of our Annual Giving goal of $42,000.

Do corporations and foundations support the Annual Fund?
Corporations typically contribute to independent schools by offering matching gifts to their employees’ contributions. You may want to check with your employer to see if such a program is in place where you work. Foundations generally give to Annual Giving appeals when there is a direct personal connection to the school. Usually they are much more interested in specific projects that are within their funding guidelines and advance their specific areas of interest.

Why is participation important?
The school’s financial strength is dependent upon the participation of all members of its constituency. Your participation generates enthusiasm and encourages others to join you in supporting the school, and it is a key indicator to foundation and corporate donors that we have consistent support from those we serve, both past and present.

Why not just run a deficit like we have in the past?
Running a deficit, even for one year, is not a sound financial strategy. Also, lending standards have tightened in recent years. The bank monitors our creditworthiness on at least an annual basis. Early this spring Virginia National Bank informed us that due to the fact that we have not had a positive cash flow in over five years, they would no longer be able to support our current debt load. It was necessary for us to identify and secure a group of guarantors to back CWS and CWF in order to restructure the remaining construction debt and operating line of credit. Even with the guarantors, the bank was unwilling to extend more than a $100,000 line of credit (it was previously $200,000). This letter of credit is currently in the renewal process.

How much should I give?
You are the only one who knows how much you are able to give, and we ask only that you give to the best of your ability. As a simple rule of thumb, this year our Annual Fund gifts need to average approximately $520 (or $44 per month through online giving) for each child enrolled to meet our goal. This is compared to the $655 for each child needed last year. Some parents truly cannot afford to give that much, yet others in the community are more than happy to make up the difference. If you feel you are of average means within the community then please give accordingly. If you are able to give more, please do so.

Can I donate stock to the Annual Fund?
Yes. This is a great way to make a gift to the school. Giving appreciates securities provides you with a tax deduction for the appreciated value of the stock without incurring capital gains tax. Our Business Manager would be very pleased to provide you with details on how to make stock gifts.

What will happen if we don’t reach our goal?
If we do not reach our goal of $88,000 before May 15, 2012, the school will not have sufficient income to cover our expenses. This would mean we would need to either end the school year early or ask our teachers to go without pay for the remainder of the year.