Annual Fund

List of 7 frequently asked questions.

• What is the Annual Fund?

  Each year, Heritage Hall asks trustees, current and former patrons, alumni, grandparents, and foundations to provide tax-deductible support for the School’s operating fund. Annual Fund revenue allows the School to enhance support for students and teachers and enables us to respond quickly to educational needs not covered in our annual operating budget. The Annual Fund also allows the School to take advantage of strategic opportunities as they arise, rather than fundraising sporadically as needs/wants become evident.

• What is the difference between a capital campaign, the Annual Fund, and Booster Club campaigns?

  Simply stated, Annual Fund gifts support stability now, while capital campaigns support growth in the future. Because annual funds are intentionally not allocated for athletic programs, our athletic booster clubs serve as special interest groups whose fundraising participants are limited to families of students involved in that activity. Academic Infrastructure dollars, provided by the Heritage Hall Annual Fund, are expressly not spent on our athletic program, which benefits from other sources of gift income.

• What does the School expect of its families, both current and former?

  While the School places no expectations on families in terms of financial support outside of meeting their obligations for tuition and fees, it is our ardent hope that constituents will choose to become and remain involved with the School through voluntary donations of time, money, or both.

• We already pay tuition; why does the School ask us for contributions, too?

  Annual Funds are considered a best practice among independent schools and universities who supplement their educational offerings each year with one-time purchases to enrich curriculum, the classroom environment, or improve campus safety and security for students.
  
  For Heritage Hall, tuition and fees meet approximately 96% of the School’s core operating expenses. If tuition were increased to a level that corresponds to the actual cost of educating our students each year, the resulting increase would create a hardship for many families. The Annual Fund has been put into place to bridge this gap, picking up where tuition and fees leave off, to the benefit of every Heritage Hall student.

• Do small gifts really make a difference?

  Yes! All gifts are important and appreciated. You can choose to make a one-time donation or set up monthly, recurring gifts. Levels of giving are provided for your convenience, however, Heritage Hall encourages its community to make a gift that is meaningful for your family.

• What else do I need to know about the Annual Fund?

  • The goal for the 2023-24 Annual Fund is $400,000.
  • The Annual Fund encompasses all constituents - Constituents include: trustees, alumni, current and past patrons, grandparents, faculty-staff, and friends.
  • The Annual Fund is a year-long campaign to support academic infrastructure and enhancements - Items are approved by the board of trustees and may change from year to year.
  • Annual Fund gifts are unrestricted. Gifts restricted to specific programs are not Annual Fund gifts - Examples of restricted gifts: athletics, performing arts, technology, etc.
  • A gift of $1,000 or more includes membership to the Leadership Society - During the 2023-24 campaign, 74% of the total raised was given by donors at the Leadership Society level.
  • The fiscal year for Annual Fund pledges is July 1-June 30 - All pledges must be paid in full by June 30 of the fiscal year.
  • Annual Fund dollars are raised in the following ways: mail solicitations and personal solicitations.

• My company offers a matching gifts program; would the School be interested in this program?

  Absolutely! Matching gifts are an effective way to double or, in some cases, triple the amount of your gift. Please contact Jenifer Standish, Director of Development, at 405.936.3109 for more information on matching gifts.