Giving at Westland - Frequently Asked Questions

Giving at Westland

Frequently Asked Questions

A Culture of Philanthropy

Westland’s history of philanthropy is well documented. Founding families and founding educators gave of their time and resources to establish a school that exists as a model for democratic and progressive education. In the early sixties community members mortgaged their homes to secure Westland’s current campus. Members of Westland ensure that Westland’s mission will continue for their own children as well as future generations. Our dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion; engagement of community members; and purpose ensure successful fundraising and development.

We demonstrate these aforementioned attributes through the following principles and practices:

The mission and practices at Westland are articulated, understood, and aligned. The value and purpose of giving is highlighted.

Fundraising has long term implications.

Fundraising goals and accomplishments are shared with the community at the annual meeting in the spring.

Fundraising is inclusive, and there is an emphasis on participation.

Parents are asked to make Westland their top philanthropic priority.

What does fundraising look like at Westland?

There are several ways Westland raises funds throughout the year:

Annual Giving - Annual Giving kicks off in the Fall at our Annual Giving Dinner. The funds raised make up most of the fundraising goal (the “Gap” in the budget) for the school year.

Winter Fundraiser - The Winter Fundraiser takes place before Spring Break. It usually involves a party with ticket sales that cover costs along with other items for sale and auction at the event.

Online Auctions - Westland has partnered with an online auction company called CharityBuzz. People in the current Westland community can donate their time and/or resources in their professional field (such as a pitch meeting or an acting lesson) or high end items (such as sports memorabilia, collectibles, couture clothes or accessories) for sale on this international online auction platform.

Raise-the-Paddle - If needed, we may ask the current community to help fund immediate projects that are otherwise not budgeted.

Other community events - Book Sales, Farmers’ Markets, and the annual Westland Fair also help support the budget.

I like to make an impact.

How are fundraising dollars used by Westland?

Our yearly expenditures mostly go to the people and program of Westland – the students and the staff.

Students benefit from:

Abundant and varied classroom materials

Beautiful and interactive outdoor spaces for learning and play

Enriching and experiential day and overnight field trips

Staff benefit from:

Competitive salaries and benefits

Ongoing professional development that supports curriculum and feeds the teaching soul

Gifts to annual giving directly support our mission of providing an integrated, hands-on, social studies-based curriculum in a learning environment that is childcentered and non-competitive while using experiential learning to develop problem solving and critical thinking skills with a student population that is culturally, socially and economically diverse.

What is “the Gap?” Why is it important to fundraising?

“The Gap” is the difference between tuition revenue and the actual cost of running the school. At Westland we intentionally build a “Gap” into each year ’ s budget to keep tuition costs as low as possible. Various fundraising efforts throughout the year make up for “the Gap.”

Why don’t we publish an annual fundraising report?

Some schools publish the names of their donors and a donation amount in an annual report. We choose to recognize constituents as groups instead of individuals and share participation percentages instead of dollars.

In the 2022-2023 school year, we reached 100% participation across the Board of Trustees, Current Families, and Staff!

I'm not sure how much to give.

What is the range that most people give?

We ask that each family make a commitment for Westland to be their primary philanthropic priority during their family’s time here. We ask that you make a commitment to Westland by giving what your family is willing to give. This means that one family’s stretch is different than any others. Every gift is important, no matter the size, and demonstrates each family’s support of the collective mission.

In the 2022-2023 school year, 17% of current families gave $5,000 or more. These donations made up 57% of the fundraising goal of $360,000. Our Board of Trustees contributed to over 30% of our Fundraising Goal.

Who can I talk to for more information?

You can reach out to any of our Board Members or to Jennine Rodriguez, Assistant Head of School for Teaching, Learning, and Development.