$50,000 Match Update – We met this match in three months and our donor offered another $50K! Thanks so much for your contributions. Please help us meet this next challenge and spread the word with friends and family.
HISTORY and STATUS:
Established in the 1970’s, the endowment has provided nearly $1,000,000 in tuition reduction to our families in the last 10 years alone.
The value of this fund is nearly $3,000,000, with proceeds used only for tuition reduction (financial grants available to all GHC families that cover the difference between cost of education and tuition) or tuition assistance ( financial aid to specific families in need).
How did this fund grow to nearly $3M? Primarily four ways: 1) interest on our investment, 2) gifts from our community like the match, 3) memorials, and 4) as a beneficiary of estate planning.
Where is all of this money? Some is held and managed by the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation (GHACF). Most is invested in the stock market and overseen by our endowment committee.
Will the endowment run out of money some year? We annually take out only a small percentage of the fund so that it continues to grow and should last as long as our school.
We are compiling our long and rich history in a giant “book” that will be in our lobby. Do you have any old photos or GHC memorabilia? Do you have alumni updates to share so we can highlight the achievements of our graduates?
IMPACT OF THE ENDOWMENT:
For the upcoming 2019-2020 school year, each family was offered $500 in tuition reduction.
A portion of the proceeds of this fund can now be used to help families in difficult financial situations, like loss of job or an unforeseen crisis.
Some donors like to gift the endowment so that families with special financial needs can be helped. You can now give to our fund and designate tuition assistance or tuition reduction.
RECOGNITION:
Our “Named Endowed” donors will soon be listed on a new display board. These names will be engraved on “rocks” supporting a lighthouse with the inscription, “Supporting Grand Haven Christian School Forever”.
We have added Memorial boards in our hallway with the names of about 300 GHC supporters who, in their passing, designated GHC as a recipient of their memorial. Please let us know if we have missed someone from your family.
GIVING:
How can I give to this fund? Gifts are accepted any time. Some friends give regularly, some give yearly, some have included us in their estate plans. Checks can also be sent to school or GHACF.
Need help with estate planning and wills? We contract with the Barnabas Foundation to help you do this and to advise us. Their lawyers can meet with you at no cost to help you get started. Contact us and we will have them call you to set up a meeting.
You can also gift appreciated stock or real estate and don’t pay capital gains taxes. Plus you can use that gift as a donation on your federal tax form.
Other ways you can stay connected to GHC:
- Become a Legacy Family – designate GHC as a beneficiary of your estate and let us know. We would like this to become part of our culture and want a list of all our families.
- Named Endowed Gifts – Gifts to the endowment of over $5000 can be given “in memory of” or “in honor of” an individual, parent(s), or listed in your family name showing your continued support of GHC.