Support Growing Place

Giving

Tuition keeps a school running. Philanthropy is what makes it bloom.

Why We Give

Growing Together, By Design

Growing Place thrives when our community is active in the life of our school. For over forty years, families, educators, alumni, and friends have invested their time and their resources here, and every generation of Growing Place children has grown up inside that generosity. Giving is one of the most tangible ways that our community shows up for itself.

Every donor plays a vital role in advancing our mission to educate the future generation of change-makers, and there are multiple ways to make a difference. Whether you give monthly, make a one-time gift, engage your company, or support through alternative methods, your support fuels success and the continuous growth of the Growing Place.

Donations are tax-deductible and directly support our efforts. Explore the giving pathways available to you.

Three campuses, rooted together, growing as one.
Ways to Give

Choose What Fits You Best

Our mission unifies children, parents, and teachers into a community that learns together. As a member of it, you join the families who came before you and those beside you today, all partnering with our teachers to make this education possible for every child.

Cash or Credit Card

Give securely online with a credit card, ACH, or mail a check payable to Growing Place to 401 Ashland Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90405, attention Annual Fund.

Matching Gifts

Your employer may sponsor a matching gift program that could double or even triple your support. Check with your Human Resources department to find out, and let us know so we can help with the paperwork.

Securities

Gifts of stock or mutual fund shares provide immediate support and may offer you substantial tax savings. Please consult your tax advisor about your situation.

Arrange a Gift of Stock

Donor Advised Funds

If you give through a donor advised fund, you can recommend a grant to Growing Place directly from your account. We will provide everything your sponsoring organization needs.

Recommend a Grant

Gifts in Kind

Non-monetary contributions of tangible property — classroom materials, equipment, or professional services — that carry real value for our children and educators. Growing Place does not assign a value to an in-kind gift except for internal purposes; the IRS asks the donor to determine value, and gifts of $500 or more require Form 8283 to claim a deduction.

Ask a Question
Our Giving Programs

Find Your Place to Give

From annual gifts to lasting legacies, every program supports the whole of Growing Place.

The Annual Fund

Our yearly giving program, supporting every part of the Growing Place experience across all three campuses. Our goal is 100 percent family participation, with a gift of any amount.

Learn More

BLOOM Campaign

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BLOOM is our campaign over the next 40 months to raise $4 million for Growing Place, giving access to more students, supporting our educators, and creating new, innovative programs. This campaign includes opportunities to name programs and portions of each Growing Place campus.

Contact Advancement for More Information

Planned Gifts

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Planned gifts and bequests offer a meaningful way to leave a lasting legacy. Whether made through a will, trust, insurance policy, charitable IRA rollover, or other estate planning vehicle, your gift can help shape the future of Growing Place and support its families. Whether you are early in building your family's future or thinking about your legacy, there is likely a planned gift that suits you.

Our advancement team can guide you through options that honor your values and support your long-term planning goals. Please consult your attorney or financial advisor, and contact our Advancement team to begin the conversation.

Start the Conversation

The Growing Place Endowment

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Endowment gifts are invested permanently and generate income year after year, sustaining priorities like educational access and educator excellence long after any of us are in the classroom.

Learn More

Memorial & Honorary Gifts

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A gift in memory or in honor of someone meaningful to you can be directed to any area of Growing Place. We will notify the family or honoree of your gift, without mentioning the amount.

Create a Lasting Gift

Questions? Contact Kathleen Buczko, Director of Advancement, at advancement@growingplace.org or (310) 434-3811.

Growing Place is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Tax ID 95-3984983. Gifts are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Common Questions

Giving FAQs

What's the difference between the Annual Fund and Growing Place's other giving programs?
The Annual Fund is our yearly giving program, supporting the current school year across all three campuses. Other programs serve different purposes: the Endowment is invested permanently for long-term income, planned gifts often come through your estate rather than your current income, and Memorial & Honorary Gifts let you direct a gift in someone's name. Every program supports the same mission, just on a different timeline.
Can I give through stock, securities, or a donor advised fund?+
Yes. Gifts of stock or mutual fund shares can provide immediate support and may offer substantial tax savings, and you can recommend a grant to Growing Place directly from a donor advised fund. Contact Kathleen Buczko at kathleen@growingplace.org to arrange either, and consult your tax advisor about what makes sense for your situation.
Do you accept non-monetary gifts, like classroom materials or equipment?+
Yes, these are called gifts in kind, and we welcome contributions that support our mission — classroom materials, equipment, or professional services. Growing Place doesn't assign a value to an in-kind gift for tax purposes; the IRS asks the donor to determine value, and gifts of $500 or more require Form 8283 to claim a deduction. Please consult your tax advisor with questions.
Can I make a gift in memory or in honor of someone?+
Yes. A gift in memory or in honor of someone meaningful to you can be directed to any area of Growing Place. We will notify the family or honoree of your gift, without mentioning the amount. Contact Kathleen Buczko at kathleen@growingplace.org to arrange a gift that creates something lasting.

Keep Exploring

More ways to connect with Growing Place.

Read Our Story

Forty years of Reggio-inspired learning across Santa Monica.

About Growing Place

Tour Our Campuses

Visit Marine Park, Ocean Park, or the Lab School in person.

Explore Campuses

Explore the Annual Fund

See how our most important yearly giving priority works.

Learn More

Talk with Kathleen

Questions about any giving program? We're happy to help.

Email Kathleen