Answers To Your Questions On Giving
Why is the Castilleja Annual Fund important?
The Annual Fund is an important part of our yearly campaign to meet the cost of providing Castilleja’s educational program. Tuition and endowments cover 85% of our annual operating costs. Like all independent schools, we rely on donations from parents, grandparents, friends of the school and alums to maintain and enhance our program. Annual Fund contributions ensure that Castilleja can educate motivated young women to become confident thinkers and compassionate leaders with a sense of purpose to effect change in the world.
Why doesn’t Castilleja increase tuition to cover the full cost of educating each student?
If Castilleja increased tuition to cover the full cost, we would be outside of the tuition range of our peer schools. We keep our tuition commensurate with schools in our area so that we continue to attract a diverse population of the most qualified students representative of our community. In addition, by making the last 15% of the cost donation-based, families can choose to make a tax-deductible contribution in an amount that makes sense for them to support the Annual Fund.
Is my participation in the Castilleja Annual Fund important even if I can only make a small gift?
Every gift in any amount makes an impact. Alum giving makes a statement that Castilleja and our mission are well-supported. Alum participation in the Annual Fund is considered an important measure for families considering Castilleja, our Trustees, and other interested parties gauging the long-term health of the school.
How does a gift to the Castilleja Annual Fund differ from a contribution to the Capital Campaign or a restricted gift to an endowment fund at Castilleja?
Our Annual Fund gives the school leadership the most flexibility and needs to be funded every year. Capital Campaigns are restricted to the project designated and endowment gifts must be used for the expressed purposes of the selected endowments.