invest in OUR future.
At PSCS, we prioritize the Community-centric Fundraising Movement
Prioritize Communities | Re-imagine Fundraising
What began as a blog post by Vu Le (Winter is coming and the donor-centric fundraising model must evolve) is now a national conversation and movement, led and cultivated by people of color who are also fundraisers and researchers committed to building more equitable fundraising practices.
"Community-centric fundraising is a movement to evolve how fundraising is done in the nonprofit sector. Its goal is to support fundraisers and other nonprofit professionals to re-examine every fundraising philosophy and practice they have been taught, engage in vigorous ongoing conversations, and explore doing fundraising in ways that reduce harm and further social justice.
CCF & PSCS
The movement toward equity just can't wait around for us to get this perfect, so we're sharing our goals now. We have already made sweeping, anti-hierarchical changes, including our recent shift to collaborative leadership (CO-LED) in order to decentralize power structures from within our organization. We are also engaged in a process to flatten the admin/teacher payscale, and are creating a framework for giving that is no longer major-donor centered.
We are engaged in CCF online discussion channels, equity in education professional development opportunities, have added the 10 Values of CCF to our resources and are currently engaging our staff, families, and Board in these conversations. We'll continue highlighting other organizations working toward similar goals, while eschewing majority-held agendas and gatekeeping within our daily nonprofit practices.
Most importantly we're
- "centering those most affected by injustice and who actually may have the best solutions," ie our most marginalized families, and students;
- grounding our fundraising and tuition conversations in community needs instead of donor expectations,
- engaging regularly in transparent conversations about race, inequity, and privilege,
- remaining rooted in the longheld PSCS core values (community, integrity, courage), and those of CCF (equity and movement building).
community-centered giving
In order to offer tuition aid to the almost 30% of our school that relies on it, we ask everyone to contribute or engage in our Annual Giving effort in some way. PSCS tuition pays for facilities, insurance, and staffing. Fundraising allows us to offer tuition aid.
Make it Monthly!
A great way to amplify your investment is to make a recurring gift, just consider the amount your family plans to donate and divide it by 12 (the fiscal year).
We know you are generous and we know you give to other, important causes. Please add PSCS to your giving plans this year and, no matter the amount, you will encourage those who can to give as well!
All donations support the tuition aid and program aid PSCS provides for families who need it.
Thank you.
the why:
what PSCS does
Community-centered education, responsive curriculum, and collaborative leadership.
Core Values
practice integrity. engage the community. act with courage.
What that means
PSCS centers the experiences of our students, families, staff, AND our surrounding communities. This effort creates a responsive, compassionate environment for us all—one which allows young people to be immersed in an educational experience with highly engaged, multi-skilled adults, each of whom are more holistically supported in creating actual work/life balance, and in creating systemic change in other local communities and organizations.
Why We Fundraise
Contributions allow us offer tuition aid to families that need it and to re-grow a sustainable reserve for unforeseen environmental impact, like say, a global pandemic.
In order to offer tuition assistance to the PSCS 28% of families who rely on it, we must fundraise. Tuition pays overhead and program costs, but does not cover unforeseen expenses, tuition aid, or program aid throughout a school year.
How You Can Help
For many families, independent education is a hardship or at least a not-easy-ship. In order to equitably support students and families, we seek participation from those who can afford it, at levels that are not a difficulty.
28% of current families received more than $100,000 in aid for the 2021-22 school year. We believe that everyone benefits from an economically diverse school, whether you receive aid or not.
Where It All Goes
80-90% (or more) of unrestricted annual gifts are allocated directly to fund Tuition Aid. This percentage fluctuates slightly, based on the number of qualified applicants each year. What isn't is allocated toward tuition, funds program aid throughout the year so we don't nickel and dime our families during the school year. These include unplanned activities and events, unforeseen economic hardship for families, as well as individual student opportunities as they occur.
PSCS $$ Goal
The PSCS Annual Giving goal is roughly 10% of our operating budget. We aim to raise $100K by the end of the calendar year.
The PSCS fiscal year is July 1-June 30 and we run campaigns until we meet that goal. Pledges (to be paid later in the school year) and recurring monthly gifts are counted toward our final budget.
Please be prepared to donate what you can for the well-being and inclusion of our whole community.
Ways to Give:
Online/Credit Card:
Make a one-time gift via our secure donation page. All gifts made via our online donation site will include a small fee. There is an option for donors to incur that fee.
PayPal:
Donate securely via Pay Pal.
PSCS incurs a fee when you pay using your connected bank account. If you pay directly from your personal PayPal account, there are no fees.
Recurring Gifts:
Donate monthly via our secure donation page.
All gifts made via our online donation site will include a small fee. There is an option for donors to incur that fee.
Cash/Check:
Personal checks can be made out to PSCS and dropped off or mailed to 660 S. Dearborn Street, Seattle, WA 98134.
Stock/Securities:
When utilizing this option, please download our Broker's Instructions and forward to your preferred representative.
Please also alert our Director of School Operations that a gift of stock is being transferred. Include the name of the stock owner, the full name(s) to be recognized for the gift, today's date, and the intended donation amount.
Matching Gifts:
Many businesses offer matching gift programs to encourage employee giving (sometimes even retired employees). Matching gifts can double the impact of your gift. Please check to see if your employer offers a matching gift (Bc3, Microsoft, Google, F5Networks, Starbucks, CDKGlobal, Honeywell, Adobe, Symetra, Boeing, Costco, GE, Pfizer...).
Leadership Gifts:
At PSCS a leadership gift is defined as a gift of $1,000 or more by a particular constituency (Alumni, Current Parents, Grandparent, etc) and is meant to inspire others to donate as well.
Leadership gifts can be made in the form of cash, check, or EFT. If you are interested in making a leadership gift, please contact our Director of Community Engagement.
In Honor Of:
Consider supporting PSCS, while also honoring an alum, a facilitator, or a particularly meaningful member of your community, by making a contribution in their name.
When an In Honor Of... gift is received (online or by check), the Development Office credits the gift accordingly—most often in the donor's official acknowledgement and in our yearly Gratitude Report.