The Wooster Fund

A TRADITION OF GENEROSITY

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In 1926, Dr. Aaron Coburn and a few fellow visionaries provided the leadership and funds to establish Wooster School.  Since its inception, Wooster has relied on the generosity of parents, alumni, faculty, staff and friends to fulfill its mission.  Strong participation in The Wooster Fund from every member of the community ensures that Wooster maintains and extends our success in teaching young people the four cardinal principles: Religion, Intellectual Excellence, Simplicity, and Hard Work.  Wooster continues to graduate students with sound habits of heart and mind, and strength of character for life’s journey.

1926 ASSOCIATES

The 1926 Associates was created to honor Wooster’s founding.  Commemorating the tradition of generosity that has sustained Wooster School since 1926, this association recognizes our most generous alumni, current and past parents, grandparents and friends who contribute $1,000 or more during the fiscal year.  Leadership level gifts are particularly critical to the School’s fiscal well-being and Wooster’s success in fulfilling its mission each year.

$25,000 and above        $10,000 - $24,999

$5,000 - $9,999           $2,500 - $4,999

$2,000 - $2,499          $1,000 – 1,999

WOOSTER PARTNERS

Wooster School values every gift – regardless of its size. Participation at every level of giving is critical to the School’s success in carrying on its mission and traditions. We are honored to recognize all gifts from $1 to $999 to The Wooster Fund in our Annual Report

THE YOUNG ALUMNI LEADERS

Support from young alumni (1-15 years since graduation) is vital to Wooster’s evolution and the fulfillment of its mission.  We hope to encourage a lifetime habit of giving to Wooster.

15^th Reunion  $1,000

14^th year out  $900

13^th year out  $800

12^th year out  $700

11^th year out  $600

10^th Reunion  $500

9^th year out    $400

 8^th year out   $300  

7^th year out    $250

6^th year out    $200

5^th Reunion    $100

4^th year out    $50

3^rd year out    $50

2^nd year out   $50

1^st year out    $50

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WHY DO WE NEED The Wooster Fund?

Typical of the majority of independent schools, tuition and fees do not cover the true cost of a Wooster education.  There is a deficit per student after expenses are subtracted from tuition and endowment income.  The Wooster Fund is vitally important as it helps close the gap between tuition and the real cost of educating a student at Wooster.  Because our current endowment is approximately relatively small, our endowment earnings are modest and Wooster relies heavily on the funds that The Wooster Fund generates to provide our students and faculty with the best available resources.

WHY IS The Wooster Fund SO IMPORTANT TO OUR STUDENTS?

Every single one of our students benefits from Wooster’s legacy of generosity. All have benefited from the philanthropy of those who came before.  It is this tradition of generosity that has allowed Wooster from its earliest days to remain committed to excellence and to diversity.

Wooster School has been raising these critical unrestricted funds to benefit our students and faculty for more than 56 years.

• Foundations and corporations consider the percentage of parent, alumni, and faculty participation especially in making their decision to support Wooster.
• Traditionally, The Wooster Fund provides approximately 6% of the School’s operating budget
• Unrestricted dollars from The Wooster Fund  provide the Headmaster and The Board with the flexibility to respond to opportunities that will provide the greatest benefit to our students and faculty.
• The Wooster Fund fiscal year begins July 1 and ends June 30.
• Every contribution is fully tax deductible and can help reduce one’s total tax liability.
• All our The Wooster Fund donors are gratefully acknowledged for their generosity in Wooster School’s Annual Report.

WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE

Cash/Check  Direct cash gifts offer a full tax-deduction for the full amount of the gift.

Credit Card  We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. Just click on the "Donate" button on the top of this page.

Pledges  Pledges offer the flexibility to spread your gifts out over time. All pledges to The Wooster Fund must be fulfilled by June 30, of the fiscal year in which they are made.

Appreciated Securities  Gifts of appreciated stocks support Wooster’s mission and may provide significant tax savings.  For more information and stock delivery instructions, click on the link at the top of the page, or please contact:

• Lisa Young, Director of Development lisa.young@woosterschool.org (203) 830-3920

Matching Gifts  Many companies offer matching gift programs as incentives to their employees who make charitable gifts.  Some companies will match up to twice the amount of your contribution.  Check with your company’s human resource department for an application and more information.

Wooster Annual Fund Brochure (pdf file - 1150 KB)
Wooser Annual Fund Brochure 09-10

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