The Girls Fund

List of 4 frequently asked questions.

• Why does Julia Morgan School for Girls have The Girls Fund?

  JMSG, like most independent schools, relies on income beyond tuition to fully support its faculty and programs. One of the key sources of this additional income comes from unrestricted gifts to operations (The Girls Fund), which supports about 7% of the school’s operating budget every year. Since these gifts are used during the year in which they are received, JMSG depends on donors to support The Girls Fund every year.

  
  Every aspect of the school is touched by The Girls Fund dollars, including arts, math, sciences, athletics, Spanish, field trips, tuition assistance, technology, faculty salaries, professional growth, and campus maintenance. While JMSG’s community will find numerous opportunities to contribute to the school, the board of trustees has set The Girls Fund as its top fundraising priority because of the critical role it plays in supporting the school’s operations.

• Are gifts tax deductible?

  Julia Morgan School for Girls is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization under the Federal Internal Revenue Code. Unlike tuition fees, all contributions to The Girls' Fund are deductible pursuant to the prevailing tax laws. All donors to The Girls' Fund receive a letter noting their gift amount, date of gift, and the disclosure that no goods or services were provided.

• Why is Julia Morgan School for Girls called an independent school?

  Julia Morgan School for Girls is an independent school because it designs its own programs and curriculum. The school operates without financial support from the federal government or from California and is governed by its own elected board of trustees. Unlike public schools, which are funded by tax dollars, JMSG relies upon tuition and fundraising to meet its operating expenses.

• Why doesn’t JMSG charge full cost instead of raising funds each year?

  The tuition that would be necessary to fund our current level of education would restrict even further the number of families who could afford to attend. This would limit enrollment which, in turn, could mean a cutback in programs and an undermining of the school’s commitment to making JMSG’s education affordable to as many families as possible.
  
  In addition, a for-profit business can cut costs through consolidation and streamlining. To employ these strategies at a mission-driven school like JMSG would require reducing staff or combining classrooms, making us unable to provide the individual attention and quality of education that everyone wants and expects for JMSG students.