Annual Fund

Annual Fund gifts are put into action the moment you make a gift.  The gifts are not deferred to another year; they make a difference this year.  Although unrestricted gifts are preferred because they can be directed where they are needed most, you may designate where you want your gift to be spent within specific categories—arts, athletics, financial aid, technology, and teacher training are all areas where you may designate your gift.

This year, the Annual Fund will move the school forward through investments in professional development for teachers, curriculum enhancement, continued support of the arts, and enhanced support of athletics.

Yes! Participation in the Annual Fund truly matters at every level. A $25 gift counts in participation the same as a $50,000 gift. Every family’s situation is unique. The only gift that is too small is no gift at all. Every dollar counts as a strong statement about the commitment you have to the School and this community. Your participation will make a difference.

See our "How to Give" page.

Yes. A gift or pledge made early in the school year is a great advantage because we know how much money will be available to support the budget. Because of this, we ask for donations or pledges to be made by December 31.

The annual fund year is July 1–June 30 each year. Your participation counts as soon as you make a pledge. The pledge may be paid in one payment or in multiple payments up until June 30.

Once you have made your annual fund gift or pledge, you will not receive another annual fund solicitation until the next academic year.

Yes. Our model is not unique. The formula of charging tuition and relying on philanthropy to meet the school’s budgeted expenses is consistent with our peer independent schools across the country and globe.

CDS trustees and administrators recognize the sacrifices families make to offer their children a high-quality education and strive to keep tuition costs as low as possible. If tuition were raised to meet all the School’s needs, each family would pay a considerable amount more per year. The tuition that would be necessary to fund our current level of education would restrict even further the number of families who could afford to attend. This would limit enrollment which, in turn, would mean a cutback in programs and the socio-economic diversity of our school community.

Unlike a for-profit business, we cannot cut costs through consolidation and streamlining. To employ these strategies at a mission-driven school like CDS would require reducing staff or combining classrooms, making us unable to provide the individual attention and quality of education that everyone wants and expects as integral components of the CDS experience. Finally, a gift to the annual fund is tax-deductible. Tuition is not.