TOGETHER we will do great things
Saint Mary School is a truly special community bonded together through our faith, our children and families, our teachers and staff, our alumni and the Saint Mary Parish community.
The Bison Fund is integral to supporting the students, programs and facilities of Saint Mary School, and is this year’s top fundraising priority. We thank our families, parish and community members for considering a tax-deductible gift that supports Saint Mary School. Your generosity is a blessing! Together we will do great things to transform the lives of our Saint Mary students and they will, in turn, transform their communities!
Bison Fund Goal - $120,000
Join us for our annual in-person Bison Benefit on November 4th, 2023. Click the button below for more information about this exciting event!
WHAT IS THE BISON FUND?
The Bison Fund is a fundraising initiative that supports the operating budget and upgrades to key areas benefiting campus safety. This year’s Bison Fund will be supported by the Bison Benefit, an in-person event including dinner, entertainment, live auction, and other fundraising opportunities. The Bison Benefit will be held on October 15th, 2022, at Chevy Chase Country Club. For those unable to attend the in-person event, the Bison Fund website will be available for cash donations.
HOW IS THE BISON FUND USED, AND HOW DO THE FUNDS BENEFIT MY CHILD?
The Bison Fund is an integral part of Saint Mary’s operating budget. Tuition covers a large proportion of our student’s core education. However, tuition does not cover the full cost of educating a student. By offering an opportunity for tax-deductible donations, the Bison Fund helps keep tuition affordable for more families while also providing funding for enhanced learning opportunities for students in line with the long-range Strategic Plan of our school.
How can I give
In person: Via the Bison Benefit, various donation opportunities will be available including both a live and silent auction.
Website: https://sms.stmarybg.org/bisonfund Charge gifts to your VISA, MasterCard, American Express or Discover card online via a secure, SMS specific portal. Click on the "Donate Now" link above.
Matching Gifts: Many corporations will match an employee’s gift to a school. Visit your company’s website to see if your company, or its parent company, has a program and to download program details and forms. To find out if your company has a matching gift policy, please check the following list of matching companies. When applying for a match, companies often ask for the recipient organization’s Federal Tax Identification Number (EIN). SMS’ EIN is 36-2343781. If donations eligible for a matching gift are made through the SMS specific portal, please enter all relevant details (when prompted) so SMS is aware a match is coming. If the eligible donation is made by manual check or if matching details are not known at the time of the online donation, please submit this form to the school or parish office or email a copy to BisonFund@stmarybg.org.
We encourage families to donate via the Bison Benefit or our website; however, cash and checks will also be accepted. Checks should be made out to Saint Mary School - The Bison Fund and brought to Saint Mary School’s Main Office. All manual checks should be submitted with this form filled out in full.
HOW ELSE CAN I HELP SUPPORT THE IMPORTANT INITIATIVES OF THE BISON FUND?
In addition to donating to the Bison Fund, there are other forms of support that are important to ensuring the success of our 2022-2023 fundraising efforts. School families can support by volunteering time and talents to the efforts necessary to host an in-person event (both planning and day-of event support needed). Additionally, families can donate items to be included in the live or silent auction.
DOES THE COST OF MY BISON BENEFIT TICKET PURCHASE SUPPORT THE BISON FUND?
The ticket price for attending the Bison Benefit is intended to cover the cost of food, beverage, and the other costs associated with hosting an in-person event and does not directly go towards the fundraising goals for our 2022-2023 Bison Fund. If there is any available profit after all event expenses are paid in full, the money will go towards the Bison Fund.
IS MY DONATION TAX-DEDUCTIBLE?
A gift to the Bison Fund is 100% tax-deductible; tuition is not. Saint Mary School operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit; gifts are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Acknowledgements will be issued by mail.
HOW MUCH DO WE NEED TO RAISE AND HOW MUCH SHOULD I GIVE?
The 2022-2023 goal is $100,000. To achieve this year’s goal, we do ask families to consider a minimum donation of $400 or more. Participation sends a message of your support to our school and parish community. Every gift counts; every gift matters in our goal of 100% participation.
HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO DONATE?
Gifts are accepted now through December 31, 2022, via the website.
WHO IS SUPPORTING THIS CAMPAIGN?
The School Advisory Board members have already committed to supporting The Bison Fund. Full participation from school families ensures The Bison Fund’s success and reaffirms our commitment to the students and community of SMS. Additional support will come from companies with matching gift programs, partnerships with area businesses, alumni, and fellow parishioners. We also welcome contributions from any extended family members or friends who wish to make a gift to our school.
HOW WILL THE FUNDS BE USED THIS YEAR?
Gifts to the Bison Fund allow Saint Mary School to provide the resources necessary to sustain our educational excellence and improve campus safety. In addition to supporting the operations of the school and maintaining a more affordable tuition rate, The Bison Fund facilitates improvements identified by the administration in correlation with the Strategic Plan.
WHO DO I CONTACT IF I HAVE QUESTIONS OR WANT TO VOLUNTEER?
For more information about the Bison Fund or if you would like to volunteer, please contact Katie Bright at Bisonfund@stmarybg.org
Gift-matching
Over 1200 companies will match employee donations.
Click in the search bar to see if your company matches!
How do I Initiate a Corporate Match?
If your company matches personal donations, complete the matching request form through your employer. The employer will reach out to Saint Mary Parish to verify a donation has been made. Once the donation has been confirmed the employer will send matching funds that will be credited to the Bison Fund. If your company does match donations please let either mwisinowski@stmarybg.org or mstarbeck@stmarybg.org know so that they can watch for matching requests.
