Support Our Educators: Annual Investment Campaign

As educators, we don't just follow our hearts—we follow the evidence. Recent research confirms what we've always believed: teacher quality has 2-3 times more impact on student learning than any other school factor.

The research is compelling:

• Children with teachers holding bachelor's degrees gain an additional two months of learning each academic year

• High-quality early childhood education reduces special education placement by 8.1% points

• Students with well-prepared educators show 11.4% point increases in high school graduation rates

• Ongoing professional development and coaching directly promote student skills and learning growth

When we invest in our educators, we don't just improve one classroom—we strengthen our entire school across all three campuses.

Unrestricted gifts to the AIC are strongly encouraged, as they allow us to direct resources to areas of greatest need, particularly educator professional development and support. Gifts to the AIC may be restricted only if they cover an existing operating expense in our board-approved budget. The Growing Place has designated key areas of opportunity including:

• Educator Professional Development and Training

• Classroom Materials and Resources

• Educational Support Services

• Campus Improvements

• Financial Aid

• Technology and Learning Tools

• Enrichment Programs

Participation is the cornerstone of our Annual Investment Campaign, and our goal is 100% parent participation. Every participating family makes a meaningful difference in our school community.

When foundations and corporations consider schools for grants, one of their first questions is the percentage of families that contribute to the annual campaign. Your AIC support demonstrates the "health" of our school and our community's commitment to excellence. Organizations use this metric to determine whether The Growing Place is a sound investment.

With thousands of early childhood programs across the country, your participation helps distinguish The Growing Place as an outstanding choice for grants and partnerships that further benefit our educators and students.

Even when we receive all tuition payments, The Growing Place faces a 15% deficit in our operational costs. This gap exists because tuition alone cannot cover the full cost of providing exceptional early childhood education while maintaining our commitment to investing in educator excellence.

The Annual Investment Campaign helps bridge this essential funding gap while ensuring we can continue investing in what matters most—our educators' professional growth and development. Without AIC support, we would need to significantly increase tuition and/or reduce the professional development opportunities that keep our teaching staff at the forefront of early childhood education.

The AIC is an additional investment in each child's education and a vital source of revenue that allows us to maintain the gold standard of early childhood education across all three campuses while keeping tuition as affordable as possible for families.

We urge every family to contribute, considering a donation equivalent to a month of tuition for each child enrolled. While the specific amount varies for each family, we encourage you to reflect on the transformative impact of your child's experience at The Growing Place.

Research-based philosophy, exceptional educators, and unified commitment across three campuses has been made possible by generous support from current and past families, staff, and friends.

When deciding how much to give, consider the importance you place on having exceptionally well-prepared educators working with your child every day, and your family's circumstances. Remember: every gift, regardless of size, contributes to our shared mission of supporting educator excellence.

AIC contributions directly impact our operating budget, especially our ability to plan and fund educator professional development opportunities throughout the year. We regularly review our budget and make adjustments based on funding projections.

A pledge is a commitment to make a gift. By letting us know early that we can count on your support, we can budget accordingly for teacher training, conference attendance, coaching programs, and other professional development initiatives that strengthen our entire educational program. Pledges can be paid any time before the end of our fiscal year.

Every child at The Growing Place benefits directly from AIC gifts that support our educators' continued growth and excellence. Whether funds support teacher training, educational conferences, classroom coaching, or advanced certifications, the AIC ensures that every educator walking into our classrooms is equipped with the latest research, strongest skills, and deepest commitment to your child's success.

Your investment creates ripple effects that reach far beyond our three campuses, touching families throughout our community for generations to come.

Our Preferred Method: Electing to spread your Annual Investment Campaign payments across 12 months is an excellent option that makes giving more manageable for families while providing steady support for our educator development programs.

FinalSite Account (Recommended - No Processing Fees!): The most cost-effective way to make your gift is through your FinalSite parent account. When pledges or donations are processed through FinalSite, The Growing Place pays no processing fees, meaning 100% of your contribution goes directly to support our educators and programs. We can customize any payment plan or add one-time payments to your family invoice.

To set up your AIC contribution through FinalSite, simply email our business office with your pledge amount:

• Lynne@growingplace.org

Other giving options include:

• Secure credit card donations online at growingplace.org

• Checks made out to The Growing Place and mailed to: 401 Ashland Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90405-4311

• Stock transfers (contact our business office for details)

• Corporate matching gift programs (check with your employer to potentially double your impact!)

• https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01fadUbCG5WMaEE

Please note: While we accept donations through ParentSquare, processing fees apply to these transactions, which reduces the amount available for our educator support programs.

Yes! Your gift to the Annual Investment Campaign is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. You will receive an acknowledgment letter that serves as your receipt for tax purposes.

The Growing Place relies heavily on our wonderful parent volunteers who contribute to virtually every aspect of our school community across all three campuses. From board members and classroom helpers to event organizers and field trip chaperones, you play a critical role in our school's success.

Your financial support through the AIC is another important way to make a significant impact—specifically in supporting the continued professional growth of the educators who work with your children every day. Together, your time and financial investment help ensure the brightest future for all children at The Growing Place.

Your Annual Investment Campaign gift supports our primary focus this year: the continued education and professional development of our remarkable educators. This includes teacher training programs, educational conferences, classroom coaching, advanced certifications, and other professional growth opportunities that ensure our staff remains at the forefront of early childhood education research and best practices.

When you invest in Growing Place's Annual Investment Campaign, you're investing in a proven approach that transforms lives—one that recognizes exceptional educators as the foundation of quality early childhood education across our Marine Park, Ocean Park, and Lab School campuses.