Importance of Philanthropy
Philanthropy offers a unique opportunity to enrich your life, establish or continue a tradition of giving, share your skills and experience, and unite your family around a common purpose. It is much more than making charitable contributions—it is about living according to your values and supporting what matters most to you.
Like all independent schools, we rely on two primary revenue sources: tuition and philanthropy. Every family is invited to make The Bear Creek School a meaningful philanthropic investment. The generosity of our community allows us to create extraordinary educational opportunities that would not be possible through tuition alone.
Your philanthropic investment in Bear Creek empowers teachers to guide, support, and inspire students in extraordinary ways through innovation, connection, and creativity.
Our strong culture of philanthropy and the generosity of our community is a vote of confidence in our school that strengthens Bear Creek today and ensures that our mission continues well into the future. Through your support, students graduate prepared to engage the world with wisdom, compassion, and courage.
The Office of Philanthropy and Community Engagement (PACE) is the hub for fundraising and volunteer activities. We invite all parents, grandparents, parents of alumni, and friends of the school to connect with us as partners with the school. We would love to hear about your philanthropic passions and goals, and help you find the best ways to align your family’s giving goals with the school’s mission.
With hundreds of families generously giving time, talent, and treasure, the results are remarkable children and an extraordinary school community. We hope all families will find a meaningful way to support The Bear Creek School every year.
PHILANTHROPY AT BEAR CREEK
Annual Fund – The Annual Fund is our most important source of revenue after tuition. Annual giving to Bear Creek provides a vital flow of unrestricted support for programs that go above and beyond what your tuition covers. The Annual Fund directly impacts faculty and students year-round by helping provide a robust learning experience that allows students to discover their talents and participate in opportunities that foster personal expression, creative thinking, and character building. Your donation ensures that our school has all the resources necessary to offer the extraordinary programs our students, faculty, and families love at Bear Creek.
Gala – The annual Gratitude Gala celebrates all that The Bear Creek School has to offer the students and families in our community. The proceeds from the gala help fund Bear Creek today, tomorrow, and into the future. Each year, the gala starts with a weeklong online auction and culminates with a dinner and live auction event.
Strategic Projects – Bear Creek’s strategic projects are focused on securing the future of the school through long-term planning for measured growth and fiscal stability. Families have the opportunity to invest in specific programs, capital projects, and initiatives that not only support the School’s Strategic Plan and but are also aligned with donors’ philanthropic priorities.
Projects of focus include a new outdoor classroom and event space that blends nature and functionality to redefine conventional classroom and gathering spaces; barn renovation to create a dynamic and purpose-driven student environment; teacher housing assistance program that helps ease the burden of housing costs; and develop the 20-acre Woods property into a learning space for environmental stewardship and education, scientific research, and community engagement.
Planned Gifts -- Legacy gifts provide flexibility to donors while supporting future generations of students through foresight and thoughtful planning. Planned giving is a wonderful way to ensure a strong future for The Bear Creek School and its mission, while also accommodating your own personal, financial, estate-planning, and philanthropic goals.
Matching Gifts – Corporate matching gifts maximize the impact of a donor’s financial gift, and in some cases transform volunteer hours into revenue as well. Gifts to Bear Creek or volunteer time are eligible for matching by many local, national, and international employers with matching gift programs.