Q: What is the Annual Fund?

Q: Why does Shipley need an Annual Fund when parents already pay tuition?

Q: Why not increase the tuition if it doesn’t cover all the costs of a Shipley education?

Q: If our family receives financial aid, will we be asked to make an Annual Fund contribution?

Q: How much should we give?

Q: What is the Annual Fund?
A:  Shipley’s Annual Fund consists of contributions given each year between July 1 and June 30 by parents, alumni, grandparents, parents of alumni, faculty and staff, and other friends to help the School provide students with a superior education.  Annual Giving meets needs in the yearly operating budget, sustaining and improving all areas of the School.  The largest items supported by the Annual Fund are faculty and staff salaries and benefits, curriculum development and support, need-based financial aid, technology, and maintenance of grounds and facilities.

Q: Why does Shipley need an Annual Fund when parents already pay tuition?
A:  Small class sizes, superior teaching, and extraordinary programs are integral parts of the Shipley experience.  However, tution revenue alone is not enough to sustain the quality of a Shipley education.  Like other independent schools, Shipley relies on tuition, Annual Fund contributions, endowment income, and fundraising events to meet its operating costs.  After tuition, the largest source of yearly revenue is the Annual Fund, making it vital to the School’s financial health.

Q: Why not increase the tuition if it doesn’t cover all the costs of a Shipley education?
A:  As part of its commitment to making a superior educational experience available to qualified students regardless of financial circumstances, the Board of Trustees tries to minimize tuition increases.  Raising tuition to meet all costs would mean that many families would be unable to send their children to Shipley.

Q: If our family receives financial aid, will we be asked to make an Annual Fund contribution?
A:  Yes.  Both large gifts and modest gifts demonstrate support for the School, so the entire Shipley community is asked to particiapte in the Annual Fund.  While providing needed revenue, Annual Fund contributions also demonstrate community support for the work of Shipley's superior faculty and staff.

Q: How much should we give?
A:  Only you can decide how much to contribute to Shipley each year, though it is hoped that Shipley families will make the School a philanthropic priority. 

For more information, or to volunteer, contact Margaret Anne Ritter, Director of Annual Giving, at 610.581.4655 or annualfund@shipleyschool.org.

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