Strength In Community FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions as of September 2019 1. Is this another campaign?

This is a campaign in that it is an initiative to raise important funding above and beyond what is raised on an annual basis. However, it is different from Imagine the Possibilities because it does not have all of the bells and whistles. We have a smaller goal and more streamlined timeline and process. However, like a campaign, it calls for support and involvement from the greater Far Brook community and will have an impact on the school today and for years to come.

2. How does this benefit my child?

At Far Brook, we firmly believe that diversity in race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic level, sexual orientation, family structure, and religion provides us with a vibrant community in which to learn about the array of perspectives and experiences that enrich our world. We want to be sure that our classrooms and faculty represent this diversity and that qualified students who would be otherwise unable to afford a Far Brook tuition are able to do so. Financial aid resources make this possible.

Further, the ability for faculty to innovate and both think and teach outside of the box will benefit all students. Endowment is primarily for sustainability and the future, but having more current use funding helps our families and faculty immediately.

3. I just gave to the last campaign. Why are you asking me again?

We are so grateful to everyone who supported Imagine the Possibilities, and while campaigns have a start and end date, the need for philanthropy and support does not. As school leaders, it is our job to boldly ask those philanthropically inclined members of our community to support the school in a way that makes sense for them. Our students deserve the very best, and initiatives like this, combined with the Far Brook Fund, allow us to do more without raising tuition across the Board. All that to say, we are confidently asking again not simply because it is our job, but because our students – past, present and future – deserve us doing so and we believe in the impact it will have on Far Brook.

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4. Can I make a pledge? How can a pledge be fulfilled?

Yes, pledges and one-time gifts of cash or stock are accepted. Pledges allow donors to have an even greater impact by stretching payments out over 2‒3 years.

Beyond cash or stock, some members of the community may wish to discuss legacy giving, and we welcome the conversation.

5. I want to support the school but prefer capital projects or something more tangible than financial aid and faculty support. Is there another option?

Strength in Community is rooted in our Strategic Plan and the Board and Head of School’s vision for the future. Therefore, this is our fundraising priority, and we encourage members of the community to explore how it might match their own interests as donors.

However, we always welcome your ideas, and should you have interest in discussing another project or gift, please schedule a meeting with Suzanne Glatt or Amy Ziebarth.

6. How will I be recognized?

If you would like to be recognized in a certain way, please let us understand your interests as a donor.

You will be thanked for your generosity and acknowledged through personal communications and at events. Far Brook has always taken a more modest approach to public recognition, given our cooperative model and N‒8 school.

To date, we have not published a list of donors, even for the Far Brook Fund.

However, we listen to our Far Brook family as we carefully balance a desire to celebrate and thank our donors with the feelings of our donors and extended community.

7. Who will be asked to give?

As with all campaigns, it is a collective initiative that must be fulfilled individually. That means that we invite everyone to participate – from current families to alumni 2

families, alumni, neighbors, and friends. However, this is giving above and beyond the Far Brook Fund and a stretch gift for one person will look differentthan it does for the next. That is the beauty of the community – we come together doing what we can do as individuals, in order to accomplish what we want to – and can do – as a school.

8. How is this different from the Far Brook Fund?

The Far Brook Fund is an annual campaign that enhances what we do as a school, allowing leadership the flexibility and funding to address opportunities and obstacles as they arise throughout the year. It is a cornerstone of our culture – philanthropy is not only about supporting the school, but about modeling this behavior to our children. On an annual basis, we ask families to consider a gift that will bring more innovation, creativity, security, and supplies to our campus. The more we accomplish together each year, the more our students benefit.

While annual support of the Far Brook Fund is critical to our community, there are occasional needs that go above and beyond. Given the strategic plan and vision for the future of the school, support for faculty and students is even more of a priority at this time. Therefore, we ask our community to invest in this vision and in our students and faculty in the way that makes sense for them.

9. Do other schools have initiatives like this?

Yes, this is what happens in independent schools. In fact, it has been such a transformational practice that public schools are doing the same thing via education foundations. Philanthropy is powerful on so many levels!

Far Brook School has traditionally taken a more modest approach to fundraising.

Over time, however, our community has seen the impact of philanthropy not only on the school, but on our donors. Philanthropy can be transformational, and we saw that through Imagine the Possibilities, which so many donors cited as an exciting moment in time for the school. Through philanthropy, we can accomplish so much, realizing our vision for the future without simply raising tuition.

While our culture of philanthropy has grown stronger and our practices more sophisticated, most schools are much more aggressive in their fundraising. We encourage you to explore the websites of nearby schools to see their recent efforts and successes.

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