Annual Fund

Every year, every one of us counts

The Annual Fund is the school's most important source of revenue after tuition. Annual Fund gifts support the current year's operating budget - tuition alone does not cover the actual cost of educating an Epiphany School student. Annual Fund gifts are unrestricted, meaning that contributions may be used where they are most needed.

The Annual Fund supports daily operations like, faculty and staff salaries and benefits, curricular supplies, academic programs, professional development, facilities maintenance, new technology, and financial aid for tuition and Extended Day programs. The Annual Fund makes possible new initiatives, too, like Math in Focus and Responsive Classroom.

Every year by December 31, the Annual Fund's volunteer leadership team, the Giving Committee, works to raise these important funds for our current operating budget – through generous donations by parents, grandparents, family friends, community members, matching donations, faculty, staff, parents of alumni, and alumni.

RECOGNITION: All Annual Fund donors are appreciated and recognized in the Epiphany School Annual Report. Leadership Council donors are also recognized at a reception held each spring.

Annual Fund Recognition Categories:

Leadership Council

Visionary Society $7,500+
Founders' Circle $5,000 - $7,499
Head's Council $3,000 - $4,999

 

Honor Circle

Epiphany Advocates $1,500 - $2,999
Epiphany Society $500 - $1,499
Friends of Epiphany $1 - $499

 

Matching Gifts

Many companies and organizations generously match their employees' gifts on a 1:1, 2:1, even 3:1 basis. Please contact your employer for information on matching gifts.

Matching gifts are counted toward your membership in our donor recognition categories.

Epiphany School gratefully acknowledges recently receiving matching gifts from the following:

Adobe Systems AMGEN bgC3, LLC
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation The Boeing Company Matching Gift Program Expedia Gives Matching Gifts Program
Fidelity Foundation Matching Gifts to Education Program Insite Property Management, LLC Joshua Green Foundation
Microsoft Matching Gifts Program Nordstrom Matching Gifts Russell Investments
SAP Software Solutions Starbucks Partner Giving Programs T-Mobile
Matching Gift and Volunteer Grant information provided by
Powered by Double the Donation

Annual Fund FAQs

Q: What is the Annual Fund?

A:  Epiphany’s Annual Fund consists of unrestricted gifts given every academic year by the entire school community - parents, grandparents, alumni, parents of alumni, trustees, faculty, staff, and friends - to help meet needs in the yearly operating budget. The largest item supported is faculty and staff salaries and benefits including professional development. In addition, the Annual Fund provides funds for new technology in our school and classrooms, financial aid, and the “extras” like a new playground and new curricula, including Math in Focus and the social-emotional curriculum, Responsive Classroom.

Q: Why does Epiphany School need an Annual Fund when parents already pay tuition?

A:  Tuition revenue alone is not enough to sustain the quality of an Epiphany education.  In fact, tuition currently covers only 82% of the per student cost. Epiphany relies primarily on the Annual Fund and our spring fundraising event to make sure we have the additional resources necessary to sustain our mission. It is because of our community’s long history of philanthropy and generosity that we have no school debt, excellent facilities, and the highest quality teachers. These funds are the margin of excellence at Epiphany School.

Q: Why not increase the tuition if it doesn’t cover all the costs?

A:  As part of Epiphany’s commitment to making a superior educational experience available to as many qualified students as possible, the school seeks to maintain an affordable tuition. Raising tuition to meet all costs would mean that many current and prospective families would be unable to send their children here.

Q: If our family receives financial aid, will we be asked to contribute?

A:  Yes. The entire Epiphany School community is asked to participate in the Annual Fund. Contributions of all sizes demonstrate community support for Epiphany School’s mission and values.

Q: Why should we give to both Annual Fund and the Auction –doesn’t the money go to the same place?

A:  Yes, and we need both sources of revenue to sustain our mission and to support the operating budget. Special event fundraisers provide a social way to give that sometimes yields a tangible item or experience; they also help build community. Revenue from the Auction includes restricted and unrestricted funds. The Annual Fund is a quieter way to give and its success is less reliant on attendance. Annual Fund revenue is purely unrestricted. Our community is asked to support both efforts.

Q: Why is it important to give or pledge early (by December 31)?

A:  Annual Fund contributions are spent in the current school year. We ask Epiphany School parents, trustees and staff to give or pledge by December 31. This allows the school to make informed spending decisions knowing the funds will follow.

Q: Do we have to pay it all at once?

A:   No. Even if you make a pledge now, you have until May 31st to pay in full. Payments may be made in installments—monthly, quarterly, or on an ad hoc basis—as long as the pledge is paid in full by May 31st. 

Q: How much should we give?

A:  Only you can decide how much to contribute to the Annual Fund each year. But we do ask Epiphany School families to make the school a philanthropic priority and to give as generously as they can.

Q: Do our company/organization’s matching gifts count toward our Annual Fund gift?

A:   YES! Matching gifts count toward your family’s Annual Fund contribution and are a wonderful way to leverage your gift. Go to the "Double the Donation" search feature above to see if your company/organization has a matching gift program. Then follow the instructions and make your request for matching funds! Matching gifts count toward our donor recognition categories!

Q: How will my gift be acknowledged?

A:  All Annual Fund donors will be listed in the Annual Report unless you request anonymity. Leadership donors are honored at a yearly, spring reception, recognizing the significant impact they have on Epiphany School in helping the school achieve its mission.

Q: Will we also be asked to give to a Capital Campaign or Endowment Campaign?

A:  Not currently. However, Epiphany School is developing a new strategic plan that may lead to the need for increased funding and the initiation of a Capital and/or Endowment Campaign.

Q: What’s the difference between an Annual Fund Campaign, a Capital Campaign, and an Endowment Campaign?

A: The Annual Fund Campaign supports unrestricted, current year operating expenses—they are part of our annual budget and help cover salaries, benefits and overhead. This income ensures we can provide essential programs and services. We must raise these funds every year to meet our budget obligations.

A Capital Campaign supports larger expenses—usually restricted to physical plant and facilities—that come around periodically. Madrona Hall was built and Reed Hall was renovated as a result of Epiphany School’s last Capital Campaign. Capital Campaigns are typically one-time expenses that are often paid for by one-time gifts or multi-year pledges. Building renovations, new building construction or property purchases, major equipment purchases, and infrastructure overhauls would be included in a Capital Campaign.

An Endowment Campaign supports the annual budget but is created by larger, one-time gifts or multi-year pledges that are pooled together. Returns on an endowment’s capital are used as revenue in the annual operating budget or restricted to use for a particular program, such as: faculty professional development, financial aid, technology, Learning Skills, or the school’s General Endowment. While returns on investments vary from year to year, Epiphany School currently draws 4-5% of an endowment’s value based on the trailing 12-quarter rolling average balance of the fund. This translates into $40,000-$50,000 into the school’s budget for every $1,000,000 of endowment corpus. Endowment campaigns are often run in conjunction with Capital Campaigns in order to support both short term (Capital) and long term (Endowment) funding needs.

Donor Privacy Policy
Epiphany School is a 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Epiphany School's nonprofit tax identification number (EIN) is 23-7014921.

Elizabeth O'Shea
Director of Development
Epiphany School
(206) 720-7667
eoshea@epiphanyschool.org