FAQ

The Aidan Fund provides vital, unrestricted resources that support all aspects of the school. From our outstanding educational programs and beautiful Montessori classrooms and materials, to professional development for our faculty, financial aid, and the upkeep and maintenance of our facilities.

In the recent years, contributions to the Aidan Fund have helped with the installation of a new security system allowing a 360 degree view of the building; upgrades to our facilities, e.g. new kitchen spaces in many of our classrooms and playground renovations; brand new Montessori material; and opportunities for Aidan faculty and staff to attend Montessori AMI refresher courses and professional development. 

Parents, the Board, faculty, staff, alumni, grandparents, and many members of the school’s community contribute to the Aidan Fund. We are grateful to each and every donor who makes a gift. We seek 100% participation from our faculty, staff and families because it demonstrates to potential donors and grantors that our community is 100% supportive of what we do at Aidan.

Every gift—no matter the size—makes a difference.

When we talk about participation, what we mean is the percentage of potential donors, usually parents, who make a gift to the Aidan Fund in the current fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30 of the following year.

Strong participation by families and other key stakeholders in the Aidan Fund is important. It demonstrates that our community supports and believes in the mission and vision of Aidan Montessori School. It also has important implications when it comes to requesting grants and loans from outside organizations; many corporations, banks, governmental agencies, and foundations consider parent participation rates before agreeing to support to the school, whether through donations, grants, or even loans.

Each year, we strive for 100% parent participation and with your support we can get closer to our goal. Any gift that is personally meaningful to your family is meaningful to Aidan Montessori School.

When our volunteers contact you during the year and ask you to participate, please make a donation or a pledge. Many foundations and corporations look at the percentage of our community supporting the school as they consider their gift to us. So it’s not the amount you give that matters, but your participation.

• Give today! You can make an outright gift at any time or make a pledge payable by June 30 of the current fiscal year. Aidan can accept gifts of cash, check, credit card, stock and other marketable securities. You can also access our secure, online giving site 24 hours a day, using your debit or credit card. This convenience is quick and easy to use. It also eliminates the need for envelopes, stamps or checks. If you are considering some other kind of non-cash gift such as appreciated stock or real estate, just call us. We are prepared to facilitate those gifts as well: 202-332-2732. For more details about making your gift, please contact advancement@aidanschool.org or see our Ways to Give page.
• See if your company has a matching gift program. Matching gifts double the effectiveness of your dollars. Please ask your HR department if the program is available where you sign up. If you need assistance with the forms, please don’t hesitate to call us at 202-332-2732.
• You can also help by sharing with others the vision and purpose of The Aidan Fund.

Absolutely!

Aidan's Parent Association hosts a number of opportunities for families to the school through volunteer opportunities, events and more. These include the Book Fair, Fall Festival, Spring Fling, in addition to various community service opportunities. 

In addition, every spring Aidan hosts our Auction to Fund Students. Not only is this event a blast to attend, it also requires a substantial amount of support from our community to be a successful. Volunteers are needed to help solicit donations for the Auction in additional to the planning and execution of the event itself. Proceeds from the Auction to Fund Students directly supports Aidan's Financial Aid Program.

Aidan is committed to serving all interested families that are a good fit for the Aidan community regardless of their ability to pay the full cost of tuition. We can't fully bridge the gap for everyone, but the Board, Staff, and Families who make up the Aidan community are united in striving to make the school as accessible and inclusive as possible, and that requires a big investment. All proceeds from the Auction to Fund Students directly support Financial Aid.

Yes, and we encourage families to support both if you are able!

The Aidan Fund is our annual direct giving campaign and runs throughout the School's fiscal year from July 1 to June 30. Contributions to the Aidan Fund are traditionally unrestricted, which allows the School to direct the funds to the areas of greatest need.

In contrast, the Auction to Fund Students occurs in the spring and proceeds from the event directly support Aidan's Financial Aid program. Donations to the Auction can take many forms: from items for the silent or live auction and time spent volunteering, to attending and bidding at the event itself or donating directly through our Fund-a-Student paddle raise.

We strongly encourage families to make a gift to the Aidan Fund and to donate to the Auction. Every contribution makes a difference.

Only you and your family can determine how much to give, but we hope that you will be as generous as possible. We also understand that not every family can contribute to every effort.

We encourage you to make participation in Aidan Fund a priority and hope that you will support the school’s other efforts to the best of your family’s ability. We are grateful for each and every gift no matter how large or small.

Yes. When you send your donation, be sure to let us know either on the return envelope or by emailing us at advancement@aidanschool.org. We will be sure to honor your request.

Gifts are accepted year-round, and the giving year follows our fiscal year, from July 1 - June 30. Gifts made early in this year, so that we can count your participation from the start, have the highest impact.

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