School Advancement Self Study Report Development Overview
The development department of Ann & Nate Levine Academy is responsible for raising funds to support the school and its mission through its annual fund, annual gala, grants and capital campaigns. As a member of the senior administrative team, the development director oversees all aspects of the department, participates in policy decisions, and acts as a liaison to the development committee of the board of trustees. The development director reports to the board at monthly meetings and maintains an open door policy with faculty, administrative staff, parents, alumni and trustees. In addition to the director, the development department includes one full-time employee--the development assistant. The development budget consists of four main sources of revenue: the annual fund “Levine Fund , ” capital campaigns, grants, and one large annual gala. The annual fund bridges the gap between tuition and the actual cost of a Levine Academy education, representing 7% of the annual operating budget. It provides essential resources for creating innovative student programs, attracting and retaining the best faculty, and ensuring the upkeep and maintenance of our campus. The gala, which celebrated the school ’ s 40 th anniversary in 2020, accounts for a significant portion of funds raised annually and enlists the volunteer support of our parent and grandparent body. Capital campaigns fund special needs or capital projects as determined by the board or the donor’ s restriction. Small capital campaigns are initiated annually to meet the needs of a particular project. Capital upgrades are funded by generous donors to enhance the school programs and fill Levine Academy’s campus with state -of-the-art facilities to support our programs. In recent years, our attention has been focused on updating all of our playgrounds and gymnasiums as well as renovating our classrooms with 21 st century furniture including flexible seating creating a cutting-edge learning environment for students of all ages. Recent capital improvements also included new Smart TVs, teacher iPads and laptops, upgraded makerspace, and a new garden and greenhouse for our STEM program. Successful fundraising efforts rely on building and maintaining relationships, which the development department accomplishes by designing and distributing marketing materials, soliciting gifts, and promoting awareness about the importance of supporting Levine Academy. Examples include direct mail solicitations, periodic donor and grandparent newsletters, all-school email correspondence, school-wide programs and events, and communication via the school website and social media. While technological methods have proven highly successful, the development department also recognizes the value and necessity of personal relationships with our constituencies. For this reason, great emphasis is placed on individual and group meetings, as well as the formation and continuation of committees such as an alumni committee, a grandparent committee, a gala committee and a legacy giving committee. Collaboration with the Parent Association is also central to the success of the development efforts at Levine. Over the last two years, we launched a new initiative and established our grandparent committee. We successfully ran a grandparent back-to-school night, annual Grandparents and Special Friends Day
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