Ways of giving

Since the founding of Episcopal High School 40 years ago, the commitment and generosity of families, trustees, and friends have built the School into a recognized leader of independent education in northeast Florida. The School provides 904 students in grades six to twelve with a quality education which depends on charitable giving and the volunteer efforts of our entire community.

Episcopal Fund

How excellence happens 

The Annual Fund is the foundation of all giving to Episcopal. Contributions support the current operating budget, and are expended on items or improvements which will sustain our educational and extracurricular programs. Gifts to the Annual Fund maintain the level of excellence we have all come to expect.

Annual special fundraising events

Episcopal High School holds two special fundraising events annually: the Celebration auction & dinner and an Episcopal golf tournament. The success of these two events is due to the hundreds of volunteers, donors and guests who come together in support of Episcopal. Funds raised through special events enhance the programs and resources available for our students and help with special campus projects. The benefit golf tournament is Monday, October 2, 2006, at theMarsh Landing Country Club; Celebrationwill be held on November 18, 2006.

How to make your gift

There are many giving options, with potential tax benefits accompanying each choice. Gifts may be tailored to express the donor's interests and tax situation.

Gifts of cash

Most gifts to Episcopal High School are cash contributions, for which donors receive tax benefits if they itemize deductions.

Appreciated stocks and securities

Gifts of appreciated stocks provide immediate support to the School. Donors may realize substantial tax savings by transferring appreciated stock to the School prior to the sale. Capital gains on the amount of appreciation may be avoided, and the donor may receive a tax deduction based on the fair market value of the stock at the time of the gift.

Matching gifts

Whether you give cash or securities, yours may be one of the many employers who offer matching gift programs...which double, and in some cases even triple, the value of your gift to the School. These gifts can mean thousands of dollars for Episcopal High School. The School received more than $19,000 in matching gifts during the past fiscal year. Is your employer a matching-gift company? Find out here!

Please contact your employer for matching gift guidelines for your company. A list of matching gift companies is available from the advancement office at 396.5751, ext.1104.

Gifts-in-kind

Donations of technology, equipment, furniture and other items relevant to our educational program and in good condition are welcome. The donor, through appraisal, market comparisons or record of purchase, determines the fair market value of the gift. If the gift-in-kind is of direct and immediate value to Episcopal High School in fulfilling its mission (such as new computer equipment for instructional use), the donor may deduct the full fair market value. There are limitations on the amount that may be deducted for tangible personal property the use of which does not meet the mission of the School. Please contact the advancement office for details.

Real estate

Gifts of real estate, including personal residences, vacation homes, commercial properties, and unimproved land, may offer exceptional tax benefits for the donors while providing support for the School. Similar to the situation with appreciated stock and securities, if ownership of the unencumbered real estate is transferred to Episcopal High School prior to its sale, the donor will receive a charitable gift deduction, and will likely avoid the capital-gains tax associated with that appreciation.

Deferred giving, often referred to as planned giving, allows almost any individual to provide a gift to Episcopal High School while carrying out personal financial goals. Through planned giving, donors may find they are able to make a more generous gift to Episcopal while receiving financial benefits such as increased current income, tax savings, avoidance of capital-gains tax, and reduced estate-settlement costs. Please notify the School if you have already included, or plan to include Episcopal in your estate plans, and we will add your name to the Mary Packer Cummings Society. Established in 1999, the Cummings Society honors individuals who provide for the School through deferred gifts, such as bequests, life insurance, annuities and trust agreements. The society is named for Mrs. Cummings, who in 1912 bequeathed to St. John's Episcopal Cathedral the property on which the School was established. A few of the available planned giving options include:

• Charitable trust funds
• Charitable remainder trusts
• Charitable remainder annuity trusts
• Charitable lead trusts
• Life insurance

There are many ways in which life insurance policies can be used to make a contribution, all of which provide tax deductions and may enable donors to make a larger gift than would otherwise be possible.

Bequests

A valid, updated will is the cornerstone of an effective estate plan. Charitable gifts provide one of the few remaining deductions to estate taxes. By making provisions in your will for the School, you make a gift to the future of Episcopal High School.

As deferred gifts and some forms of current gifts can be quite complicated and carry significant tax benefits, donors are encouraged to consult the advancement office and their own financial planner when contemplating gifts. Contact the advancement office at 396.5751, ext. 1103, for information!

Donate now!