Giving
Make Your Gift to the Ellis Fund
Now, more than ever, your support means the world to Ellis and its students.
About the Ellis Fund
The Ellis Fund is Ellis’ annual fund that goes toward the School’s current-year operating expenses. Ellis Fund gifts make up the difference between what tuition covers and the actual cost of running the School. Such gifts are unrestricted, meaning donors allow the School to spend them on whatever it deems necessary.
Other Ways to Give to the Ellis Fund
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Check
Please make checks payable to "The Ellis School". You may send your gift to: The Ellis School, Development Office, 6425 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206 -
Gifts of Securities
The Development Office will provide stock transfer instructions upon request. All gifts of stock are sold immediately upon receipt. For more information, please call 412-661-6796. -
Gifts-in-Kind
Gifts-in-Kind are accepted when pre-approved through the Development Office. For more information, please call 412-661-6796. -
EITC Special Purpose Entity (SPE) Program
For those who wish to make a meaningful impact on the lives of current students and donate to Tailored Tuition (financial aid) at The Ellis School and receive Pennsylvania Education tax credits (EITC) on their personal tax return, participating in a Special Purpose Entity (SPE) creates a unique opportunity for an EITC individual donor.Requirements to Qualify for the SPE Program for Individual Tax Credits:- The SPE program is based on tax liability, not income; therefore, each situation will be different. An individual or couple filing jointly must earn a minimum of $115,000 in state taxable income or have a state tax liability of $3,500 or more to participate. To see if you qualify, you can find your Pennsylvania tax liability on Form PA‐40 Line 12 of your most recent tax return.
- Donors must be employed by or own a for profit business or own stock in a business that operates in Pennsylvania. If you file jointly with a spouse, and one works for a business and the other a nonprofit, both qualify for the purpose of determining tax liability.
To learn more, please contact Tami Clark at the Central Pennsylvania Scholarship Fund (tami@cpsfcharity.org or 814-942-4406) or click here for more information. You may also direct questions to Director of Advancement Claire Devereux (devereuxc@theellisschool.org or 412-661-6796, x131).Always consult your tax accountant when making decisions that have a tax implication.
Invest in Ellisians to Come
Planned gifts (most commonly a donation made in your will or trust) cost nothing today and allow you to make an incredible impact, which is why so many people choose to make them. Learn how you can partner with Ellis and FreeWill to have your future gift make a difference for generations of students to come.
Our 2024–2025 Giving Goal
- 100
- 90
- 80
- 70
- 60
- 50
- 40
- 30
- 20
- 10
- 0
Goal
$775,000.00
Current
$309,633.00
Remaining
$465,367.00
Your Guide to Supporting Ellis
More Ways to Give to Ellis
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Endowed Giving
The Ellis endowment is a permanent, self-sustaining source of funding for The Ellis School. Funds for endowed faculty chairs, scholarships, and ongoing maintenance of its facilities ensure that Ellis is able to attract and retain a community of talented faculty and students, as well as the overall sustainability of the campus. By providing non-tuition operational dollars, the endowment helps to keep tuition as affordable as possible for all current and future families while supporting Tailored Tuition, faculty salaries, facilities, and much more. A gift to the Ellis endowment is a way to make an impact on the School and its students far into the future.
When you specify that you intend for your gift to be endowed, the principal amount of your gift will be invested and the investment income will be used for the ongoing support of Ellis. Earnings in excess of the distribution are used to build the endowment’s market value. Current endowed funds support scholarships and Tailored Tuition, faculty chairs, and other critical needs within the school. When you establish an endowment fund, you create a permanent legacy of support for Ellis. Please contact Director of Advancement Claire Devereux at devereuxc@theellisschool.org if you would like to discuss an endowed gift or have any questions. -
Capital Giving
In addition to Ellis’ ongoing fundraising initiatives, we often develop special projects to enhance our campus and the student experience. Capital gifts have the ability to create powerful and essential opportunities for both the students and faculty members during their time on campus. Capital gifts not only fund brick and mortar projects, but can also support scholarships; endowments; visiting scholars, speakers, and artists; travel grants; professional development, and more. Please share your interest in supporting a special project with the Development Office at 412-661-6796. -
Gifts-in-Kind
Gifts-in-Kind are accepted when pre-approved through the Development Office. For more information, please call 412-661-6796.
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Non-Cash Gifts
Donations of non-cash assets are an impactful way to support Ellis
while potentially enjoying significant tax benefits. Each option
listed below offers unique advantages for both the donor and the
School. Learn how you can partner with Ellis and FreeWill to have your future gift make a difference for generations of students to come.
Stocks, Securities, and Mutual Funds
Donating appreciated stocks, securities, or mutual funds helps
you avoid paying capital gains taxes and allows you to receive an
income tax deduction for the full value of the gift if you’ve held the
assets for more than one year.
Donor Advised Funds (DAF)
Giving through a DAF allows you to make charitable contributions
and receive an immediate tax deduction. The funds are managed
by a DAF custodian, and you can recommend grants to The Ellis
School.
Cryptocurrency
Donating cryptocurrency directly is a fast and secure way to make a
tax-smart charitable contribution.
Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD)
A QCD is a tax-efficient way for individuals aged 70 1/2 or older
to make gifts directly from their Individual Retirement Account
(IRA). QCDs can count towards your Required Minimum Distribution
(RMD) for the year. -
Corporate Giving Through EITC & OSTC
The Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs allow eligible Pennsylvania businesses to receive tax credits for their philanthropic contributions to The Ellis School.
All applications are now online through a single electronic application, which can be accessed here: EITC Single Electronic Application
Business Application Timeline- May 15 – Deadline for business applicants who have fulfilled their 2-year commitment and wish to reapply to renew their 2-year commitment.
- May 15 – Deadline for businesses who are in the middle of their 2-year commitment.
- July 1 – Deadline for all other businesses, including initial applicants and those applicants wishing to submit an additional application on top of their previously submitted 2-year commitment.
Curious About Corporate Matching Gifts?
To find out if your employer has a matching gift policy, simply enter the name of your company in the search bar below. In some instances, it’s possible to access companies’ matching forms directly through our search engine. If forms aren’t readily available online, please contact a Human Resources representative within your company about matching.
Here’s what you might need to know about Ellis to request a match:
Here’s what you might need to know about Ellis to request a match:
- Ellis’ Tax ID is 25-0965329.
- Ellis’ IRS 501(c)(3) Determination Letter (available upon request)
- Ellis’ Form W9 (available upon request)
Frequently Asked Questions
List of 3 frequently asked questions.
List of 3 frequently asked questions.
Meet Our Team
Claire Devereux
Director of Advancement
The Advancement Office supports the mission of The Ellis School by building meaningful relationships with our entire community, including alumnae, parents, grandparents, and friends.
A gift to The Ellis School, be it time, energy, or money, makes a direct impact on every student at Ellis and is an investment in the future as we educate the next generation of female changemakers and leaders.
