Annual Giving

A capital gift goes toward projects like new buildings or other campus improvements.

A gift to endowment provides a long-term investment in scholarships, faculty excellence, or other endowed funds.

An annual gift (to the Annual Fund) goes to work immediately to provide for the personalized approach to education that makes Dunn School so special.

Gifts to the Annual Fund are necessary because tuition doesn’t cover all the opportunities our students receive. The Annual Fund allows us to make up t he difference between tuition cost and actual cost of a Dunn education.

No independent school would want to price itself out of the market, so keeping tuition rates competitive while supplementing with an Annual Fund campaign is a common practice of most independent schools.

Plus, while tuition payments are not tax deductible, donations to the Annual Fund are 100% tax deductible.

It's worth noting that more than 50% of our student body currently receives tuition assistance. 

If tuition was increased to include all costs, many families would be unable to afford an independent school experience, and this would exclude those talented and deserving students who add so much to the Dunn community. 

A diverse student population enriches the educational experience for all of our students and their families. Increasing the tuition price to cover costs would further limit enrollment and could require a cutback in the things that make our school special, such as talented teachers, smaller class sizes, and a wide array of experiential and leadership programming.

Yes! Each gift makes a significant difference to our community.

Your gift helps to provide an atmosphere of educational excellence to every Dunn School student. Participation in the Annual Fund builds a stronger, more unified community and represents an investment in our collective future, one child at a time.

High Annual Fund participation levels can also help Dunn raise crucial dollars from outside foundations and institutions. Greater participation helps the school when applying for grants and helps in securing gifts from large corporations because these institutions support schools who are first supported by their loyal community.

We ask you to give as generously as you are able. Please consider a gift in an amount that is meaningful to you and your family. 

We hope that Dunn School sits in your top three charitable organizations, but we also understand that life is full of financial demands.

Your gift, of any amount, makes a difference!

We urge you to consider a gift with "no strings attached." Such unrestricted donations give the leaders at Dunn the flexibility to address the most urgent funding priorities as needs arise. However, if you have a particular passion—such as academics, scholarships, athletics or the arts—then you may restrict your gift for a specific purpose.

Yes. Leaving Dunn in your estate plans benefits you and the school in many ways. We also can accept a number of planned gift instruments, such as charitable annuities, remainder trusts, etc. Please consult your estate advisor, or we can put you in touch with an independent advisor if needed. 

Dunn School is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, so any charitable gift is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Additional tax benefits may also be realized through gifts of stock, real estate or other assets. Please consult a tax professional for advice.

All donors are gratefully acknowledged in various ways, unless you want your gift to remain anonymous. Giving circles include:

$100,000 +               Head of School Circle
$50,000 - $99,999   Change Maker
$25,000 - $49,000   Visionary
$10,000 - $24,999    Champion
$5,000 - $9,999       Ambassador
$1,957 - $4,999        1957 Founder
$1,000 - $1,956        Advocate
$500 - $999             Partner
Up to $499               Earwig

Please call the Advancement Office at 805-686-0654 or email advancement@dunnschool.org.