Annual Giving

Annual Giving is our largest yearly fundraising effort raising support for general operations for the school and donations fund a vital 4% of the school’s operating budget.

It is not dedicated towards a specific project, but it gives us the opportunity and flexibility to enrich our programs and make short-term or long-term investments. As a recent example, throughout the pandemic, our school’s strong financial health allowed us the flexibility to respond to the sudden and constantly changing needs to implement pandemic learning for all. From providing PPE and cleaning equipment, laptops for remote learning to students and staff, additional sanitizing stations in all classrooms, to reconfiguring classrooms for social distancing, the necessary changes caused by COVID-19 was all made possible due to the generosity of our community to annual giving funds from years past. 

In other years when we are not using it for emergencies, it gives us the opportunity to enrich our programs. We are able to dedicate resources to building up our school library or increasing our art budget, increase our field trip experiences or even use it for facilities improvement. Your giving during this campaign makes it possible for us to continue to deliver high-quality Montessori programs. 
 

Our goal is to raise $190,000 with an aspirational 100% all-school participation.  

Last year we raised $184,000 for the Annual Giving Campaign and an inspiring 84% of our school participated. As a result of this achievement, all students got to enjoy a pajamas and donuts day at school! 

The entire WMS community of families, trustees, faculty and staff, alumni, alumni parents, grandparents and friends are invited to contribute.  

The five-week campaign runs from October 10 – November 14, 2023.  

You can pledge or donate now online HERE. Both a pledge and a donation during the campaign count toward your participation. We ask all families to make a commitment during this period before the campaign ends. If you pledge, you can make installments over the school year, with the balance due by June 30, 2024.  

• You can pledge or donate online HERE.  
• If you prefer to make a donation by check, you can mail it to WMS or drop it off at either campus’ Front Desk. Please be sure to write 2023-24 AG on the memo line of your check.
• You may also give through an employer payroll deduction program – many companies automatically provide matching funds this way. Please notify WMS about these gifts so we can credit the appropriate classroom with participation as employer program gifts often take a month to get disbursed to WMS.
• Gifts of stock securities is also a great way to give. Please contact the Development Office for specific instructions. This is a great way to avoid paying capital gains taxes on appreciated securities.  

Gifts to the Annual Giving Campaign range from $5 to $10,000, and we ask everyone to be as generous as they’re able, understanding that looks different for every family. The average gift last year was about $800 per family. 

No. When you make a gift, it will count toward family participation for all classrooms in which you have students.

Yes! When you donate appreciated securities, you not only receive credit for the current market value of the stock, but you avoid paying capital gains tax on the appreciation. Contact the Development Office for more information.  

Yes! WMS accepts matching gifts from many employers. Matching gifts accounted for over $38,000 in additional contributions to WMS last year. Donors will be recognized for the total of their personal gift plus the matching gift combined. Local companies who offer matching programs include, but are not limited to, the following (if your company is not included below, simply check with your HR representative to find out more about their matching gift program):  

• Adobe Systems Inc.
• Alaska Airlines
• Apple Inc.
• AT&T
• Bank of America
• BECU
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation  
• BlackRock
• Boeing
• BP
• Charles Schwab
• Costco
• Google
• IBM Corporation
• Kaiser Permanente
• Microsoft Corporation
• Nintendo of America
• Nordstrom
• Oracle Corporation
• Puget Sound Energy
• Salesforce
• Starbucks
• Tableau Software
• T-Mobile 

Everyone’s participation matters, regardless of the size of the gift. Participation is the most important measure to evaluate community-wide support for WMS. Our goal is to reach 100% participation from families, trustees, faculty, and staff.  

WMS is a nonprofit organization – it is our responsibility as a nonprofit to solicit charitable donations in support of our mission and to give supporters an opportunity to contribute.  

In addition, all the needs of a nonprofit school cannot be met with tuition alone without making it prohibitively expensive. So typically, nonprofit schools raise money in two ways each year: through the Annual Giving Campaign and an Auction and Gala event.  

The Gala often raises support for dedicated projects which have included the amazing playground at the Bothell Campus, the sensory walkways at the Woodinville Campus, and the creation of the Innovation and Design Lab. The funds are restricted for that use only and cannot be used for emergencies or enrichments, unlike the funds from the Annual Giving Campaign. 

Yes, all families are encouraged to give to the best of their ability as a gesture that they are committed to the school and the school’s mission. Participation in philanthropic efforts is important as often the commitment of the community to the school is evaluated by outsiders like grant givers or accreditation bodies.

We are deeply thankful for all the families and individuals who make WMS a priority in their annual contributions and make leadership gifts to the school. Our Leadership Circle recognizes and celebrates donors who make it possible for WMS to strive for excellence and embrace the possibilities of the future.  

$10,000+  Maria Montessori Society*  

$5,000 - $9,999  Golden Bead Circle*   

$1,500 - $4,999  Leadership Circle*

$500 - $1,499  Pink Tower Circle

$1 - $499  WMS Community Circle  

*Each year the school recognizes and celebrates our Leadership Level donors for their gifts of $1,500 or more. These donors are invited to a Donor Appreciation Reception in the spring. 

Director of Development, Laureen Ng

lng@woodinvillemontessori.org

425-420-9725