Ways to Give

You can support Birchwood School of Hawken in many ways. Below are some of the most common assets people give to support our mission and vision:

Cash
Gifts of cash are the fastest and easiest way to support Birchwood. The school enjoys the immediate benefit of your donation, and, of course, cash gifts provide a higher deduction on your taxable income than gifts of appreciated property.  

Annual Gifts
Annual gifts are integral to Birchwood’s continued success. They allow us to expand educational programming and complement the work we already do with new engaging projects.

Tribute and Memorial Gifts
Honor a friend, family member or beloved teacher; mark a special occasion, or memorialize a loved one.

Appreciated Securities
Using appreciated securities to make your gift can deliver more tax benefits to you than using cash.

Personal Property
Personal property includes items like artwork, books, furniture, etc. Birchwood can often use these items throughout the building or as donations to the annual International Festival and Auction (IFA). Benefits include:

  • Gift recognition from the school, immediate tax deduction for the appraised value of the gift, and no capital gains tax provided the donation meets the IRS’ “related use” requirements.
  • Make a meaningful gift without adversely affecting your immediate cash flow.
Planned Gifts
At Birchwood, planned giving is simple: designate the school as a beneficiary in your will. Contact the Development Office at 216-251-2321 for more information.

Endowments
Endowment gifts are significant donations that provide permanent annual support for Birchwood. You can endow a scholarship or an academic chair. Establish a permanent legacy and inspire others.

Matching Gifts
If your employer matches gifts, and more than 1,000 do, you can double the impact of your gift to Birchwood. Contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowable. As each company has its own policies and procedures, please contact your benefits department for more information.

Benefit Events
Sponsorship of and participation in benefit events are great ways to support our mission. Contact the Development Office at 216-251-2321 to learn more about benefit events.

Volunteer
Volunteers have been vital to Birchwood’s success from the very beginning. We require all families to perform at least five hours in service to the school each year (except for the 2020-21 school year due to COVID-19). 

For more information on these or any other gifts, please contact Tim LaBar in the Development Office at 216-251-2321 or tlabar@birchwoodschool.org.
“Birchwood is where our son developed a love for learning, a respect for others, and an appreciation of what service to others has to offer. We were blessed to find Birchwood and be able to give our son such a strong formative education. We will gratefully support Birchwood as new families are welcomed and nurtured.”
Birchwood Alumni Parents