Fundraising Overview

Annual Fund & Restricted Giving

The school’s highest fundraising priority and sincerest philanthropic efforts are through unrestricted, tax-deductible donations made annually. These dollars are applied to the school’s operating budget to make “magic moments” for your students. Annual Fund allows the school to say “yes” to opportunities.

A strong strategy will focus on gifts/pledges in September and October. Every gift, no matter the size counts. Gifts of $1,962 (significant to the school’s founding in 1962) or more are considered leadership gifts and donors are invited to the Claremont Society event in November.

Some donors, foundations, & corporations restrict gifts to scholarships, endowment, programs, professional development, and technology and capital improvements. These gifts are closely aligned to school priorities.

2019-2020 Total Impact of Annual Fund: $338,000

• The Annual Fund - Every year we ask everyone connected to CSS to donate to the Annual Fund. This is our highest fundraising priority. The Annual Fund bridges the gap (the cost difference between tuition and the actual cost of educating a child at CSS); on average $2,600 per student. 

Click here for FAQs on the Annual Fund
Click here to learn more about how your Annual Fund gift impacts a CSS education and the 50% tax credit available with the Colorado Childcare Tax Credit (PDF)

• Capital Projects - The Colorado Springs School maintains a master plan for campus upgrades, building maintenance, and future improvements. Capital projects include facility and transportation enhancements.
• Endowment - The endowment is our investment account which produces annual income to be used for general or specific operating expenses, depending on donor preferences. Our greatest needs are for endowed scholarships and faculty professional development.
• Planned Giving - Making a planned gift can be part of your estate.  This can be done in many ways, including through insurance or donation of assets or securities. 
• Scholarships - These designated and restricted funds support a range of student scholarships for expenses towards Experience Centered Seminars or to honor individuals who have made unique contributions to the school as in the case of both the John-Alex Mason ECS Scholarship or dollars provided from the Estate of Susan Barker Day.

Gala & Auction*

There is not a more exciting spring evening for CSS as our families come together to celebrate our mission, accomplishments, student successes, and to enthusiastically raise dollars to benefit our students.

With approximately 175 guests attending each year, this evening provides donors the opportunity to support our fine school through sponsorship and underwriting, the purchase of tickets, live and silent auction sales, and Raise Your Paddle donations!

Last year’s event was converted to an e-Gala & Auction and boasted mobile bidding on silent auction items, dinner packages, a living room dance party, and a gathering of nearly 400 guests from the comfort of guests’ homes.

2019-2020 Total Impact of Gala & Auction: $147,000 in net proceeds

Community Events*

A few opportunities throughout the year represent smaller fundraising yields but serve the dual purpose of providing services to families while also building community and providing outreach. These events have a strong volunteer component.

• Parents Association Carnival, FunRun, & Garage Sale
• Class and Club fundraisers
• Kodiak Athletic Boosters
• Concessions by Upstagers
• Concessions by KICS
• Library Book Fair

*When a good or service is exchanged at a price that does not exceed the item’s value, the item is not tax-deductible by IRS standards.

2019-2020 Total Impact of Community Event Fundraising: ~$40,000

CSS, as a member of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), subscribes to the Donor Bill of Rights and related guidelines for ethical fundraising.