Ways of Giving
Our strong tradition of giving stretches back to when Gulf Stream School was founded in 1938. Whether you are a member of our Parents’ Auxiliary or a financial contributor, our proud culture of philanthropy continues to foster a long-standing partnership between the School and its families, ensuring that Gulf Stream fulfills its commitment to excellence.
Maintaining an outstanding faculty, an innovative curriculum, and our beautiful campus is expensive and tuition does not cover all of those costs. By participating, you help ensure the financial stability in today's competitive school marketplace.
You also help advance the School’s mission and vision, empower students, inspire intellectual curiosity, and celebrate both effort and accomplishment. We encourage parents, alumni and their parents, grandparents, faculty, and friends of Gulf Stream to get involved!
- Cash or Securities: The school gratefully accepts online gifts, checks, credit cards, or securities. Many employers offer to match the gifts that their employees (or spouses) make to non-profit organizations.
- The Blue and White Fund Annual Campaign: The Blue and White Fund is our second largest source of income other than tuition. It is our most important annual fundraiser, and is critical to address our daily needs.
- Endowed and Restricted Funds: Endowed and restricted funds help ensure that the school will be sustained well into the future. Contributions to existing endowments are accepted regularly and added to the principal of the fund in accordance with the donors’ wishes. Naming opportunities are available for those interested in establishing an endowed fund to honor or memorialize a student, faculty member, or family member.
- Heritage Society Planned Gifts or Other Tangible Assets: Planned Giving is an excellent way to ensure a bright future for the School. The Heritage Society honors individuals who have included the School in their estate plans. Among the various forms of gifts are bequests, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, life insurance, and gifts of property or other tangible assets.
Ways of Giving: Frequently Asked Questions
Q. In what ways can gifts be made to Gulf Stream?
What could be more important than a child's future? By engaging in the life of a close-knit family school, Gulf Stream children challenge their intellect, discover new talents, solidify their character, and prepare for lives of meaning and purpose.
Maintaining an outstanding faculty, an innovative curriculum, and our beautiful campus is expensive and tuition does not cover all of those costs. By participating, you help ensure the financial stability in today's competitive school marketplace.
Q. What is capital giving?
A. Independent schools depend on capital fundraising initiatives to provide funds for long-term needs. Capital gifts are typically gifts that help increase the endowment for scholarship, fund new construction, renovate or remodel existing facilities and classrooms, and purchase expensive equipment.
Q. What is the difference between the Blue and White Fund and capital giving?
- Building: from time to time, Gulf Stream School conducts internal and external surveys and evaluations. In the past, the results have identified a need for expanded, additional, or renovated space. After a need has been recognized, the Board of Trustees conducts a feasibility study before it begins the planning stages of a building project. After a project is approved, the School must raise the money. It is Gulf Stream School's conservative policy that no construction can begin until all the money to fund the cost of building has been committed.
- Endowment funds: these are financial assets that generate income through investment of principal that supplement operating expenses and help minimize tuition increases. They also provide much needed money for scholarship. Endowment gifts benefit all areas of the School; they are the backbone of and security blanket for all independent schools. The National Association of Independent Schools has developed guidelines for schools of Gulf Stream's size, determining that endowments should be (and in many cases are) a minimum of two and a half times the annual operating budget. It is the goal of Gulf Stream School to continually grow its endowment. Therefore, 10% of all unrestricted gifts will be placed in the endowment.
- Faculty benefits: these gifts increase the possibility of offering salary increases, incentives, and improvements to the benefits package for our faculty and staff. Faculty development and continuing education through experiential learning, conferences, pursuit of advanced degrees, networking, and other programs ensure that teachers are informed of any new techniques, technology, and other available opportunities. Independent schools recognize the importance of hiring and retaining the best possible administrators, teachers, and staff members.
Q. How and when will I be approached to participate for capital giving?
Q. What size is a capital gift?
Q. May I pledge to pay over a number of years?
A. Individuals usually pledge to pay over a number of years rather than all at once, though gifts may be made immediately. Commitments may be paid in cash, by check or credit cards, or in stocks. Gulf Stream School also receives planned gifts in the form of trusts and bequests.
Q. Are capital gifts tax deductible?
Q. Will capital giving donors be recognized for their generosity?
Q. How can I learn more?
