Annual Fund Q&A

Donate to the Fund for Excellence online

Q: What is the Fund for Excellence?

A: The annual Fund for Excellence is a tax-deductible opportunity for parents, alumni, grandparents, faculty, staff, and friends of Mt. Bethel Christian Academy to contribute to the ongoing academic success of our students. The fund is necessary to provide a level of excellence and innovation that sets us apart. Donations to the Fund help us:

• SUPPORT unique and challenging programs
• RECRUIT highly talented faculty
• MAINTAIN small class sizes
• IMPROVE technology
• ASSIST in staff development

We strive to offer our students the extras that turn an excellent education into an outstanding one. Gifts raised through the Fund are generally unrestricted, but are targeted to fund specific opportunities that allow our school to teach and maintain a high quality education.

Q: Why is my participation important?

A: MBCA needs every member of the Academy community to make the school a priority for charitable giving by making a gift to the Fund for Excellence. When we approach foundations and corporations for grants, they strongly consider the percentage of parental and community support.

Q. Why must funds be raised beyond tuition?

A. Unrestricted gifts to the Fund enable us to participate in new and exciting initiatives that best serve and benefit our students, faculty and staff. The Fund for Excellence has a positive and immediate impact on every aspect of Mt. Bethel Christian Academy from programs and technology advancements for each classroom, to field trips, athletics and special events.

Q. When will I be asked to participate?

A. When you receive your contribution card, you may choose to pledge now and pay later. Pledges must be paid before the end of our fiscal year, July 31, 2007. You may pay by check, Visa, MasterCard or American Express. We will also accept securities.

Q: Will even a small gift make an impact?

A: Yes! Every gift of every size is important to MBCA and to our students. Your contribution at any level demonstrates your support of MBCA’s efforts on behalf of our students. Contributions may vary from $5 to $10,000 or more. We ask each constituent to give as generously as possible. Participation demonstrates a broad-based support to the community at large and to the foundations who consider making a contribution to MBCA. Foundations are very interested in seeing a high level of parent participation in the Fund. We strive to make our parent participation 100%.

What is a matching gift?

A: Many companies and corporations have matching gifts programs. A listing of companies who actively participate in the matching gifts programs is provided to parents. Please check the list to confirm that you can take advantage of a matching gift. If your employer is not listed, please check with them to see if they might be willing to participate. Companies and corporations who offer matching gifts will provide necessary forms to initiate and complete the matching gift.

What is a stock gift?

A. We welcome gifts of common stock, and stock can be donated at any time. With stock gifts, the donor receives the fair market value of appreciated securities at the time the gift is made, while avoiding capital gains tax in the appreciated value of the stock.

What’s the difference between the Fund for Excellence and the Capital Campaign?

A. The Fund provides resources by which we live. The Capital Campaign provides resources by which we grow. As we look to the future of MBCA, with new buildings, programs, and fields, we still incur our annual operating costs. While your Capital Campaign pledge will help build our school, your Fund pledge helps in the operation of the school. A contribution to the Fund is the first and most important gift we ask of every member of the MBCA community.