Our Most Important Yearly Priority

The Annual Fund

Every gift is put to work immediately, supporting our educators, our classrooms, and the everyday moments of wonder across all three campuses. When you give to the Annual Fund, you give to all of it.

Make Your Gift Today

Every Gift, All of It

Invested in Every Campus, Every Classroom

The Annual Fund is the primary way our community invests in Growing Place each year. Gifts are put to work immediately, supporting our educators, our classrooms, and the everyday moments of wonder across our Marine Park, Ocean Park, and Lab School campuses. When you give to the Annual Fund, you give to all of it.

As our most important annual fundraising priority, the Annual Fund provides resources for the school year that cannot be found anywhere else. It is one of our primary sources of operating income, and it is what allows us to keep investing in the educators who make this place what it is.

Accessibility for All

Closing the Gap Between Tuition and True Cost

85%Tuition

+

15%Philanthropy

Tuition covers 85% of the true cost of a Growing Place education. Philanthropy makes the remaining 15% possible.

Every family benefits from the Annual Fund. Annual giving allows us to keep tuition below the true cost of care while protecting the quality of our programs. Tuition provides the foundation. Philanthropy elevates it.

Every Annual Fund gift is a seed. Planted today, it blooms in the learners of tomorrow, and your family gets to be part of that journey.

100% Family
Participation

100 Percent, Together

Every Family, Any Amount

Our goal is simple: 100 percent family participation, with a gift of any amount.

Participation is about more than dollars. When foundations and grantmakers consider investing in early childhood education, one of the first questions they ask is how many of our own families give. Full participation tells them what we already know: this whole community believes in our mission enough to invest in it. Your gift, at any level, strengthens every grant application we submit and helps us secure funding that offsets the cost of care for everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Annual Fund FAQs

What is the Annual Fund?

The Annual Fund is Growing Place's yearly giving program, and it supports nearly every aspect of a Growing Place education. Participation at any level demonstrates our community's belief in our mission. Annual Fund gifts provide immediate, flexible resources for our highest priorities: our educators, classroom materials, educational access, and the care of all three campuses.

I already pay tuition. Why should I also give?

Tuition covers 85 percent of the true cost of a Growing Place education. The Annual Fund helps close the remaining 15 percent, which allows us to keep tuition increases modest while sustaining the quality of our programs. Without that support, tuition would need to rise or programs would need to shrink. Every family benefits.

How much should I give?

That is a personal decision, and the answer is different for every family. We ask you to consider what this education means to your child, and to give generously in light of your own circumstances. What matters most is the whole community supporting our efforts together. Every gift makes a difference.

Why does 100 percent participation matter?

Participation is the most important part of the Annual Fund, and every participating family makes a difference. Funders and foundations look at family participation as a measure of an organization's health when deciding where to invest. When every family gives, at any level, it strengthens our case for grant funding that benefits every child at Growing Place.

Can I pledge now and give later?

Yes, and it helps us more than you might think. Annual Fund gifts directly affect our operating budget, so knowing early that we can count on your support lets us plan the year with confidence. Pledges can be fulfilled any time before June 30.

Can I restrict my gift?

Unrestricted gifts are strongly encouraged, because they let us direct resources to the areas of greatest need. If you feel called to support a specific area, contact Kathleen Buczko at kathleen@growingplace.org and we will talk through the options.

Is my gift tax deductible?

Yes. Growing Place is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Tax ID 95-3984983, and gifts are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. You will receive a written acknowledgment for your records.

What are the ways I can give?

Give securely online through our Givebutter giving form.
Give stock or recommend a grant from your donor advised fund. Contact kathleen@growingplace.org to arrange.
Double your impact through your employer's matching gift program.
See all ways to give on our Giving page.