Saint George's Fund 5-Week Parent, Faculty, and Staff Campaign

Since our founding in 1955, thousands of young people have been shaped by the generosity and commitment of our community. From our campus and school buildings to the instruction and endowment, generations of generous visionaries have created the independent school we enjoy today. Saint George’s is a 501(c)3 non-profit school and does not receive public taxpayer funding. Like most independent schools, Saint George’s has three main fundraising areas: annual giving, annual endowment distributions, and periodic large philanthropic campaigns (capital campaigns).

Tuition and fees cover 90% of our school’s budget. About an additional $3,000 per student is needed every year to ensure our academic and extra-curricular programs remain available and exceptional. These funds are raised from our endowment, the gala and auction, and most importantly, annual contributions to the Saint George’s Fund.

The school’s goal is to keep tuition at affordable levels and to make a Saint George’s education accessible to as many families as possible. Tuition covers the basic operations of the school, but philanthropic gifts supplement the current year’s budget, providing support for the programs and activities that make Saint George’s exceptional, as well as scholarships that extend the opportunity for a Saint George’s education to students who would otherwise not be able to attend. Continually raising tuition would price out many families in our community and would not uphold our commitment to accessibility and inclusion. Unlike tuition, donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law and allow parents, alumni, parents of alumni, grandparents, foundations, corporations, faculty, staff, and friends to help Saint George’s fully realize our mission and vision.

Periodically, we embark on multi-year, multi-million-dollar philanthropic campaigns (capital campaigns) to fund vital projects beyond the scope of daily operations. The school’s last large capital campaign was in 2005, during the school’s 50th Anniversary, to fund a new athletic facility and increase endowment support for financial aid and faculty professional development.

As an independent school, Saint George’s does not receive public funding and depends on the generosity of its community to help provide the exceptional educational experience our students enjoy every day. Annual philanthropy bridges the gap between tuition revenue and the true cost of a Saint George’s education, supporting outstanding faculty, innovative programs, financial aid, and opportunities that inspire students to thrive.

For 2026-27, Saint George’s seeks to raise $500,000 in greatest-need funding through the Saint George’s Fund and the annual Gala & Auction. Combined with an average $500,000 annual endowment distribution, these philanthropic resources support approximately 10% of the school’s $9 million operating budget and help offset a $3,000 per-student tuition gap.

Saint George’s fundraising goal is modest compared with peer independent schools. Annual greatest-need and endowment support averages approximately $1.6 million at Gonzaga Prep in Spokane, $13.5 million at Lakeside School in Seattle, $1.5 million at The Overlake School in Seattle, and $3.6 million at Catlin Gabel School in Portland, OR. These comparisons underscore the critical role annual philanthropy plays in maintaining excellence at independent schools and the importance of continued support for Saint George’s greatest needs.

Saint George’s School is an incorporated not-for-profit, 501(c)(3), tax ID 91-0630755. Philanthropic gifts made to the school are tax deductible to the extent allowed by IRS regulations for charitable donations.

Check or Cash: Please make checks payable to Saint George’s School and mail to: SGS Advancement Office, 2929 W Waikiki Road, Spokane, WA 99208.

Give Online: use this Boost My School webpage to give online.

Matching Gifts: Many companies will match donations from current and retired employees. We encourage you to seek out your employer’s matching gift program to see if they will match your gift.

Gifts of Stock: Gifts in the form of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or other assets may allow the donor to avoid capital gains tax, while also receiving a tax deduction for the appreciated security. If you would like to receive directions how on to transfer gifts of stock, please email the Advancement Office at [email protected] or call 509-464-8871.

Donor Advised Fund (DAF): A donor advised fund (DAF) is a named charitable giving account set up under a public charity, most often a sponsoring financial or community institution such as Schwab Charitable, Fidelity Charitable, or Innovia Foundation, among others. To donate through your DAF, simply contact your sponsoring financial or community institution to recommend a grant to Saint George’s School.

Qualified Charitable Donations (QDCs)/401K:

With some types of retirement plans, including traditional IRAs and 401(k)s, you must generally start taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) and paying tax on them once you reach 73 if you were born between 1951 and 1959 or 75 if you were born in 1960 or after.

Making a qualified charitable donation (QCD), also called qualified charitable distribution, is a way of contributing some of that money to a charity without having to pay tax on it.

You can use this strategy with traditional individual retirement account (IRA) distributions, but not with 401(k) distributions. If you want to donate your 401(k) funds to charity, you’ll either need to pay tax on it first or roll it over into an IRA.

Have more questions about donating via a QCD or through your 401K? Email [email protected] or consult your financial advisor.

Gift-in-Kind (GIK) of Specific Items or Professional Services:

A gift-in-kind (GIK) is a voluntary contribution of goods or services that can be used to advance the mission of the school or can be readily converted to cash and may qualify as a charitable deduction for the person(s) making the gift. If you have a GIK that you would like to donate to the school, please email [email protected] to see if your item/professional service is needed by the school at the time of your intended donation.

The school’s advancement staff is here to facilitate your giving. Stop by our office in the Upper School Building, email [email protected], or call 509-464-8871.