Annual Fund
The Waldorf School of Philadelphia depends on financial support from parents, alumni, faculty, staff, grandparents, and friends to sustain and build our programs, provide at least 30% of our students with need-based financial aid, and positively impact our community. The Annual Fund touches every aspect of our school and allows us to say “yes” to new opportunities ensuring that children today and generations to come can enjoy Waldorf education – head, hands, and heart.
Annual Fund
Fund-a-Need
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fund
Please consider gift to the Waldorf School of Philadelphia in the following ways:
- Donate a Cash Gift to the Annual Fund Online: Any gift, no matter how big or small, will make a huge difference to advance our mission. Click here to make a donation or mail a check to the Waldorf School of Philadelphia, 6000 Wayne Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144.
- Donate a Non-Cash Gift: There are many ways to give back that can benefit you as well. Gifts from your IRA, transferring stocks, or giving from a Donor Advised Fund are ways to consider donating today. Contact us and click here
- Create a Legacy with the Waldorf School of Philadelphia: We know that cash donations might not be right for everyone, but giving a gift in your will to create a legacy with the Waldorf School of Philadelphia is a powerful commitment to our work and mission for generations to come. You can support The Waldorf School of Philadelphia forever without paying a cent today using this free will-writing tool. It’s an easy way to protect the people and causes you care about the most and help The Waldorf School of Philadelphia. You can also use this tool to help get your affairs in order before speaking with an attorney.
- Employer Match and Workplace Giving: Through corporate gift matching, some employers will match your gift to the Waldorf School of Philadelphia. In addition, some companies offer a payroll deduction plan. Please talk to your human resource department.
- PA Tax Credits: Individuals and businesses who pay state taxes in Pennsylvania can make a gift to the Waldorf School of Philadelphia, and receive 90% of that contribution back in the form of a tax credit. Learn more.
- Sustainer Gifts: Make a difference, the whole year long and make a monthly gift by becoming a Sustainer.
- For a conversation about other ways to make a gift, please contact: Olena Shumska, Development Associate, [email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions
The Annual Fund is an ongoing fundraising effort. Annual Fund dollars are used exclusively to support the Waldorf School of Philadelphia’s operating budget. Like other independent schools, we use an annual appeal to help bridge the gap between income and expenditures. Although there are other opportunities to express your support throughout the year, the Annual Fund is when we hope that everyone will make a gift.
When we look beyond our school for support, consistent engagement and participation from our whole community - both past and present - is a vital key indicator to foundations and corporate donors. When we say that every gift counts, we mean it. The more parents, teachers, alumni, and friends engage in annual giving each year, the greater the message we send about Waldorf education: that those who know the school best believe in what we do.
While tuition levels vary, all independent schools supplement operating expenses with charitable gifts. Approximately 7% of our school's operating expenses are funded by charitable gifts.
Yes – we strive for 100% participation from our entire parent body, regardless of the size of the gift. Every gift counts. Please give a gift that is meaningful to you.
When we say every gift counts, we mean it! While you may not think your gift will make a difference, consider that when private foundations determine whether or not to support the Waldorf School of Philadelphia, they ask us "How many of your parents and alumni families give?" Before they choose to support us, they want to be sure that we work to support ourselves. The more parents, alumni, and friends of the school engage in annual giving each year, the greater the message we send about Waldorf education: that those who know the school best believe in what we do.
No gift is too small and every gift is appreciated. While our school relies on donors who can make significant gifts, we also rely on hundreds of individuals who make gifts at every level.
While the Waldorf School of Philadelphia relies on gifts of all sizes, leadership gifts are particularly critical to our financial sustainability. We consider Leadership Gifts to be a gift of $1,000 or above.
A gift to Fund-A-Need is an unrestricted designation of the Annual Fund and helps families facing financial hardships through our school's need-based financial aid program.
A gift to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fund is considered an Annual Fund contribution. Donations to this Fund are unrestricted funds, allowing our school to expand and evolve diversity, equity, and inclusion programming and services.
Our school is deeply committed to DEI, including antiracism, and making new strides in these areas every day. While our core DEI work is not contingent upon receiving gifts to this Fund, such gifts will allow us to enhance, deepen, and accelerate our initiatives.
To learn more about our work in this area, please visit the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion page on our website.
Checks or cash offer the best value to the school as we are not charged fees on transactions. However, any gift method is truly appreciated.
Yes. A pledge is a commitment to make a financial gift within a specified time. You can pledge now and make a gift by the end of the fiscal year, June 30th. You can also break your gift into monthly installments by becoming a sustainer.
We recognize that it can be difficult to allocate a lump sum donation. Please consider becoming a monthly sustainer, and make an ongoing monthly gift that allows you to spread your gift throughout the year. Sustaining gifts help the school to plan for future costs, and ensure that we can step up to unexpected challenges, no matter the time of year. You can become a sustainer by clicking the Donate button and following the instructions.
The Waldorf School of Philadelphia is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and every gift to the Waldorf School of Philadelphia is 100% tax-deductible.
