Our annual fund campaign has two goals: a financial goal and a participation goal. Each year, a number of generous leadership gifts ($2,500+) help us reach our financial goal. Our hope is that every family in the community will help us reach the participation goal - with a gift of $25, $100, $500 or anywhere in between. The rate of participation (or percentage of people within our community who give to Calhoun) is an internal and external indicator of our school’s sense of community pride. It impacts current and prospective family enrollment by helping to make the case for a strong sense of satisfaction with our programs. It shows that we believe in the power of a Calhoun education. It ensures that we have the resources needed to pay our faculty and staff competitively, retaining top educators.
Last school year, 55% of current families contributed to the fund, but we believe more of us feel strongly about what Calhoun makes possible for our children. We have an opportunity: by focusing on participation in addition to total dollars raised, the annual fund becomes one of very few things that our entire community can participate in together. What may feel like a “small” gift has a big impact when it is one of many - small gifts add up quickly. Think about how you have seen that play out in other ways, with crowdfunding campaigns or grassroots political movements!