The Case for Annual Giving

Wherever you venture on this campus, from classrooms to the Morris Chapel, from playgrounds to the Thornwood and Neville dormitories, you will see the results of two kinds of gifts that make it possible for Darlington to exist: gifts to the Annual Fund and those to the endowment.

Tuition provides the bulk of Darlington’s income; on average, tuition covers approximately 80 percent of a Darlington education. This means the average gap between tuition and the actual cost of a student’s education is $4,800. The difference is made up through endowment earnings, income generated by the school (summer programs, athletics, admission, etc.) and annual giving. Consistent, yearly financial support is made possible through contributions to Darlington’s endowment, allowing the school to be fiscally viable for this year and years to come.

Darlington will always make sure the lights stay on and the grounds are kept in their well-groomed state, but there are many other components of the school that provide students with that margin of excellence that cannot be guaranteed without philanthropic support.

Generations of alumni have been giving back to make the invaluable experience of a Darlington education possible for today’s students. But it’s not just alumni who give; Darlington also relies on the generosity of its current parents and grandparents, parents of alumni, trustees, friends and corporations/foundations to help keep it fiscally strong.

There is no greater fundraising need at Darlington than the Annual Fund. Your contribution will go to immediate use today – not years down the road.

The extra provided by hundreds of generous contributions to the Annual Fund ensures that Darlington School will continue to thrive and produce future generations of outstanding graduates dedicated to the pursuit of wisdom, service and honor.