The Bermuda High School for Girls
Annual Appeal Frequently Asked QuestionWhy does participation matter?
What is the "real" cost of a BHS education?
How do I give?
When do I give?
What are matching gifts and how do they help?
How much money does the BHS annual fund raise?
What is the difference, between unrestricted vs. restricted Annual Gifts?
I already paid for, or am paying school fees. Why should I give?
I am an Alum of the school, but have no children that I plan on sending to the school?
I have questions that are not answered here. Who can I call?
Why does participation matter?
Gifts to BHS are one part of many relationships and interactions you have with the School. Volunteering, coming to
and supporting school activities, reunions, staying in touch with classmates and the community as a whole, and
giving are all important parts of a strong relationship with BHS. It is a sincere desire of everyone at the School that
alumnae, parents, and friends of the school will participate in every aspect of this relationship.
Participation in the BHS Annual Fund is extremely important as giving by parents, alumnae and friends of the school,
indicates a support for the overall direction of the school. This is extremely important to other funding sources such
as foundations. Foundations will ask how involved parents and alumnae are involved in the School.
What is the "real" cost of a BHS education?
The cost of a BHS education is significant. But whether a student receives financial aid or no financial assistance,
the cost of educating a single student outstrips the price of tuition. In the school year ending in June 2008, the cost
of educating each student was $1,000 more per student than the full tuition amount.The School depends on support from Alumnae, parents and friends to meet this shortfall.
There are many ways to give
Online Credit Card Donations at bhs.bm: (Click here to Make a Gift Online)
Call-in or Fax Credit Card Donations
Call in your credit card donation: +1 (441) 278-3004
Fax in your credit card donation to: +1 (441) 278-3019
Mail-in Donations - To donate with a cheque or credit card information, please include your name,
mailing address, telephone, e-mail address and any other information you would like to share with us.
Make cheques payable to the BHS Charitable Trust. Send via mail (or drop off at the school) to:
The Bermuda High School for Girls
Advancement Office
19 Richmond Road
Pembroke, HM08
Bermuda
(Click here to go to Methods of Giving)
Company/Work Place Matching Giving
Many companies offer a Matching Gift Programme, whereby they will your gift doubling
your donation to BHS. So please check with your employer to see if they offer this charitable
benefit.
U.S. Tax Deductable Donations (cheque or stock/shares)
For those of you that are eligible for U.S. tax deductions, please make your donation to the
International Charitable Fund of Bermuda, Inc., (ICFB) a registered U.S. 501(c)(3) organization.
Tax deductable gifts should be made payable to the ICFB and should be accompanied by a
brief cover letter, including your full address, indicating that you wish the funds to be designated
for the benefit of the BHS Charitable Trust. Send via mail to:
The International Charitable Fund of Bermuda, Inc
P.O. Box HM 1624
Hamilton HMBX
Bermuda
You may give a gift to the BHS Annual Fund at any time. However, many of our alumnae, parents and friends
understand the importance of annual support and make a gift each year.
The BHS Annual Fund closes this year on June 30 2009. All gifts that are to be counted in the 2008-2009
must be received by then and listed in the subsequent issue of the Torchbearer. This close date enables the
School to record each gift in accordance with best accounting practices by the end of the School's fiscal year.
Giving a gift early in the School's fiscal year helps save money on additional mailings, helps to build momentum,
and saves a volunteer needing to place a follow up call in March.
What are matching gifts and how do they help?
Matching gifts are often provided by your employer as a benefit that helps increase the impact of your donation.
A company with a matching gift programme will make a gift to BHS when you make your gift often matching your
gift dollar for dollar. For example, if you make a gift of $500, your company would also send $500 to BHS,
making the overall impact of your philanthropy equal to $1,000.
In order to take advantage of this benefit, you will need to get a matching gift form from your employer's human
resources department or Foundation and send it in with your donation - it is that simple.
How much money does the BHS annual fund raise?
In the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2008, the BHS Annual Fund raised $292,235 in unrestricted gifts. This
amount represents approximately 2% of the school's operating budget. Additional income, besides tuition, is
received from Other Income (Facility Rentals) and Restricted Donations total of 7% of the operating budget. The
School currently has a 10% shortfall of operating expense so it is imperative that the School grows the Annual Fund.
This year the School aims is to raise $300,000 in unrestricted gifts and we can achieve this ambitious goal only with your help.
What is the difference, between unrestricted vs. restricted Annual Gifts?
The Bermuda High School prefers unrestricted gifts to the annual fund as this affords the School flexibility in the
use of the funds, wherever support is most urgently needed, as determined by the Head of School and the Board
of Trustees. However if you want your annual gift to be restricted for a specific item/area in the School please do
so. Some Alumnae may want to make a restricted gift to the Alumnae Association Jubilee Scholarship. The Jubilee
Scholarship is a restricted scholarship for students who have a parent(s) or grandparent(s) that is/are Alumnae.
I already paid for, or am paying school fees. Why should I give?
The cost of tuition only begins to pay for the cost of a BHS education. Students who receive no financial assistance
are in fact receiving a "hidden scholarship"that makes up the difference between tuition and actual cost. At the end
of June 2008 the "hidden scholarship" amounted to $1,000 per student.If you and or your child(ren) has been a recipient of a BHS education, then you have also received the generous
support of the alumnae, parents and friends of the BHS community who have supported the School through the
Annual Fund. Help to give today's students the opportunity that you and or your child had at BHS.
I am an Alum of the school, but have no children that I plan on sending to the school?
If you have been a recipient of a BHS education, then you have also received the generous support of the alumnae,
parents and friends of the BHS community who have supported the School through the Annual Fund in the past.
Help to give today's students the opportunity that you had at BHS.
I have questions that are not answered here. Who can I call?
If you have any questions that are not addressed here, please call Samantha Stephens at (441) 278-3040 or Email.
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