Annual Fund

The Annual Fund is the foundation of all giving at Deerfield-Windsor. It bridges the gap between tuition and the actual cost of running the school.

The Annual Fund provides essential, unrestricted support to Deerfield-Windsor School. The Annual Fund is key to the school's financial health and day-to-day operations because it supports all components of a DWS education, including: a rich and rigorous curriculum; opportunities for success in athletics, a wide variety of programs in the arts and the ability to retain talented faculty and staff. Gifts made to the Annual Fund are the single most important way you can give to the school!

Every gift counts, and every gift moves us closer to our goal. Pledges must be honored in full by the end of our fiscal year - June 30th. Please use our convenient on-line giving form to make your pledge or to pay a pledge or make a gift using your credit card.

Did You Know?

The Annual Fund is the foundation of all giving at DWS.

• We ask DWS supporters to give to the Annual Fund before participating in any other fundraising activity.
• Outside of tuition, your money has its greatest impact on the school through the Annual Fund, because a dollar to the Annual Fund is a dollar to the school.
  Raffles, auctions, and special events are wonderful opportunities to bring the DWS family together and to build a sense of community, but these are not as financially efficient as Annual Fund support.

Tuition only covers about 80% of the cost of running the school.

• A strong Annual Fund dampens the need for tuition increases.
• An Annual Fund donation is tax deductible – whereas a tuition increase is not.

Foundations and outside organizations consider the level of participation in the Annual Fund as a measure of a school’s health and well-being.

Our Board has made the Annual Fund a priority and each trustee is committed to personally supporting the Annual Fund.

Unlike endowment or capital campaigns, money given to the Annual Fund is used in the fiscal year in which it is received.

• Our fiscal year runs July 1st to June 30th.
• The Annual Fund makes a fresh start each July 1st.

While it is possible for donors to restrict their gifts for specific programs, we encourage unrestricted giving so the school has the flexibility to use funds where they will have the greatest impact for the good of the school and its students.