What do your donations support?
Testimonials
From the IDS Community
Ways to Give
Gifts in any amount are meaningful and appreciated, and can be made in the following ways:
The Beech Tree Fund
The Beech Tree Fund is IDS‘s annual fund. Gifts are unrestricted contributions given and spent within the current fiscal year in support of the School’s operating budget. After tuition, The Beech Tree Fund is the single largest source of yearly income for IDS.
All members of the IDS community—trustees, parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty, staff, and other friends—are asked to participate in making a gift to The Beech Tree Fund each year. The Beech Tree Fund’s success depends on the generosity of our donors. Our goal is 100 percent participation from trustees, faculty and staff, and current parents.
The Endowment Fund
The IDS Endowment was established in 1986 and has been funded periodically with individual gifts as well as Board-designated surplus funds. The purpose of the endowment is to provide financial support in critical areas such as tuition assistance, academics, the arts, athletics, technology, and faculty support and development.
IDS welcomes unrestricted and restricted gifts to the endowment. Giving to the IDS Endowment is investing in IDS’s future!
- Unrestricted gifts to the IDS Endowment provide unrestricted support to the School’s operating budget.
- Restricted gifts are designated for a specific purpose and provide annual support in that area. Current restricted funds at IDS include the Wallace Scholarship Fund, the IDS Centers of Excellence Fund, and the IDS Community Scholarship Fund.
IDS is happy to speak with you about naming opportunities for newly endowed funds. We welcome pledges to the IDS Endowment, with payments made over time, and planned giving, with donations to the endowment included in your will. If you would like to support IDS in a specific way, please contact David Sizemore at 860-347-7235 or email here.
donate nowIDS Community Scholarship Fund
The IDS Community Scholarship Fund was established with a founding gift from former Head of School Marijke Kehrhahn to create a source of tuition and fee assistance for students who would not otherwise have access to an IDS education.
The scholarship will be awarded to students who contribute to the richness of the IDS community and make our school a better place for all.
donate nowThe Spencer Mugford Memorial Fund
The Spencer Mugford Memorial Fund was established to honor the memory of Spencer Mugford, the oldest son of former Director of Enrollment Management Charlie Mugford, who tragically lost his life in May 2018. The fund supports environmental education at IDS.
At IDS, we were lucky enough to get to know Spencer when he came on board for summer work as part of the Fearless Facilities Team. Spencer loved nature, animals, and the outdoors. In September 2019, IDS dedicated the Spencer Mugford Center for Environmental Literacy, an outdoor environmental education classroom in Spencer’s honor to allow his passion for the environment to live on in future generations of IDS teachers and students.
Gifts to the Spencer Mugford Memorial Fund support ongoing enhancements to Spencer’s yurt.
Donation via Check
You can also make a dontation via a check. Please make your check payable to “IDS” and mail to:
- Advancement Office
115 Laurel Brook Road
Middlefield, CT 06455
Donation via Securities
For many donors, making a gift of securities can have tax benefits beyond the deduction of the gift amount. As always, check with your financial or legal adviser for tax matters. To transfer securities to IDS:
- Please email business@independentdayschool.org or
- Call 860-740-4029 to share the stock name and number of shares so we can properly credit your gift
Matching Gifts
Many employers sponsor matching gift programs to match charitable contributions made by their employees. If your company has a matching gift program, we would be happy to help complete the necessary forms. Please contact Thomas Bishop at (860) 347-7235 or email here.