The GMS Fund FAQ's

GMS girls benefit from having talented teachers, small classes, curricular resources, and outstanding elective and Intersession offerings. While the tuition that you pay gives your daughter access to an exceptional education, it does not cover the complete cost of her GMS experience. Like many independent schools, tuition covers approximately 90% of the school's annual operating budget. This leaves a "gap" of approximately $4,000 per student.

The GMS Fund covers 10% of our annual operating budget, providing vital support that directly impacts the rich learning environment that motivates every GMS student every day.

GMS is committed to attracting a diverse community of students from a variety of backgrounds. The GMS Board deliberately sets tuition below full cost in order to keep the school more affordable to a wider range of families and to provide opportunities to support GMS with tax-deductible, philanthropic options. We believe this practice is conducive to building an inclusive school community and is typical practice at most independent schools.

The school’s annual giving program is called The GMS Fund. The campaign kicks off each fall when we mail a personal gift request to every family. Most pledges and gifts are received between October and December of that year. 

Yes, you can make a pledge now and pay later in the year. We ask that pledges be paid by May 31. You can use the Make a Pledge form on the website, or contact the Advancement Office at 650-968-8338 to pledge or talk about your gift at any time.

Gifts can be made via cash, check, or credit card. GMS also accepts gifts of appreciated stock; visit How to Give for details. If you wish to set up a series of payments to make your donation, visit our online giving portal.

Corporate matching gift programs are a great way to double or triple your gift. Use our Double Your Donation tool or check with your Human Resources Department to learn whether your company has a matching gifts program and how to start the process. 

Donors are recognized in the GMS Annual Report for the previous fiscal year (July 1 - June 30). Donors are listed by affiliation (alum, 6th grade parent, etc.) and by giving level. A donor’s cumulative giving during the school year determines the giving level. Gifts of $5,000 or more are recognized at the Leadership Level. Gifts of $10,000 or more are recognized at the Founders' Level. These significant contributors are honored at a special appreciation event in the fall. 

Yes! All levels of giving are sought by The GMS Fund, and every gift helps the school fulfill its mission. We strive for 100% participation because it is a strong sign of approval of GMS’s mission and educational philosophy – a factor that charitable foundations consider when deciding which organizations to support. GMS has a celebrated community tradition of 100% participation in the GMS Fund.

The GMS Fund is our fall campaign and the lifeblood of our school. If you are going to make only one gift a year, we encourage you to make your donation in support of the GMS Fund. 

In the spring, our fundraising focus turns to The Bennett Scholars Program. The Bennett Scholars Breakfast, our school’s only fundraising event, is typically held in March and is a celebration of our Bennett Scholars and our school’s mission.

Former Head of School Jennifer Ayer and the Board of Trustees have mentioned that a capital campaign will be necessary if the new building opportunity comes to fruition. The campaign is in its very earliest stages right now—with many specifics still to be considered. Although some conversations are happening right now with the board and longstanding supporters, the timelines on these campaigns are very long and the process is highly personalized. Everyone in the community will have the opportunity to contribute to the capital campaign at some point, but it will take years to have all of those conversations. In the meantime, the GMS development office remains deeply committed to reaching our ambitious goals for The GMS Fund and Bennett Scholars Program. It is vital that we have philanthropic support for annual operations and our Bennett Scholars.

You are always welcome to contact anyone on the GMS Advancement Office staff, reached at 650-968-8338 or advancement@girlsms.org. 

If you’re interested in helping with any part of GMS’s Advancement efforts, or if you have suggestions and ideas to share, we encourage you to reach out and become involved.