Giving

The most asked question in the world of school philanthropy is ‘Why do we have an annual fund? Where is my money going?’

The Annual Fund supports the school’s operating budget with annual, unrestricted gifts that help fund our programs, students, and teachers. Some examples of the essentials provided by the Annual Fund are:

• Faculty Support
• Faculty Professional Development
• Performing Arts (sets, costumes, royalties)
• Facilities Upgrades (Café Portico, M.S. Outdoor Play Space)
• Classroom Budgets
• Financial Aid
• Athletics (gym and practice space)
• Technology Upgrades
• Campus Maintenance

The Annual Fund provides 7% of Tandem Friends School's operating budget.

Why Give? Doesn’t Tuition Cover Everything?

Because we are a not-for-profit school, tuition and fees only cover 80% of the school's operating budget. The remaining 20% is funded by gifts to the Annual Fund, Fundraising events, and endowment investment income. In the 2011-12 Operating Budget the "gap" between collected tuition revenue and expenses stands at approximately $3500 per student.

Participation Completes the Annual Fund

Parental participation is particularly important to the ongoing success of our fund-raising efforts.Often, when the school seeks sponsorship, matching gifts, and grants from corporations and foundations, they often review our participation percentages, which helps them choose the level at which they will support Tandem Friends. In essence, participation gifts help secure additional and major gifts for Tandem Friends. The goal for 2011-12 is 25% participation from alumni and 100% participation from parents, faculty and Board of Trustees. Regardless of the size of the gift, we need EVERYONE to join in.

Make Your Annual Fund Gift as Soon as Possible

For the 2011-12 school year, Tandem Friends School is counting on an Annual Fund income of
$250,000 in unrestricted donations. An Annual Fund Leadership committee composed of parents, trustees, alumni, faculty, and staff is helping us pursue this goal. Your Annual Fund materials arrived by mail the first week of October. You may return your gift by mail or you may give on-line at any time.

If you feel you can make only one gift to Tandem Friends School this year, please make it to the
Annual Fund. You can make an online gift by clicking on the online Giving button or by calling the development office at 434-296-1303 ext. 304.

All gifts are 100 percent tax deductible!

Please consider making your gift to Tandem today. It will make a difference for your child and for our entire community!

If we reach our goal early, we will have a more productive year by enriching budgets, saving the school time and money in subsequent mailings and reminders and using resources to pursue larger outside monies through grants and larger donor prospects.

Please consider giving to TFS early this year. It will make a difference for your child and for our
entire community!

To realize goals identified in the Strategic Plan, the Tandem Friends Board of Trustees will, when needed, initiate a capital campaign to fund major projects. A capital campaign, over a period of years, raises substantial funds to finance major building projects and renovations, increase endowment funds, and meet other significant needs. Projects such as the Community Hall and the Math and Science Building were funded through capital campaigns.

Endowment funds are similar to savings accounts that generate income from the investment of the principal. A gift to endowment is invested so that it may grow and generate more income as years pass.

Tandem Friends has existing endowments for diversity scholarships, faculty salaries, tutorial assistance, financial aid, and faculty professional development.

Please contact the Development Office for more information. 434.296.1303, ext. 304

Volunteer involvement has a rich tradition at Tandem Friends. Through parent, grandparent, and alumni involvement, Tandem Friends fosters a sense of community, supports the health of the school, and shows our students the depth of our commitment to their development into caring, productive, and responsible adults.

Whether your volunteer interest is helping in a classroom, planning an event, being a Tandem Campaign volunteer, working in the library, or making a presentation to students about your life experiences, there is a place for your gifts of time and energy at Tandem Friends.

All Tandem Friends parents are encouraged to become active members of the Parents Association, which supports the school in countless ways. The Parents Association is devoted to promoting family involvement in the life of the school and to fostering close working relationships between parents and teachers. At the beginning of each school year, information is provided on how to become involved.

Online Shopping

Click here to find out how you can earn money for Tandem Friends School while shopping online using OneCause.

Shopping Locally

Using your Harris Teeter, Target, Kroger, Food Lion, Giant and Office Depot cards and linking them to Tandem Friends School helps us earn cash and educational supplies.

Click here to learn how...

To read the 2010-2011 Annual Report, click here.

To read the 2009-2010 Annual Report, click here.