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Make Your Gift to the Sonoma Academy Fund

A Culture of Giving

The money raised by the Sonoma Academy Fund will support our school’s drive to innovate, reframe, and inspire, guided by our steadfast vision and deeply held values. The Sonoma Academy Fund allows the culture of YES to permeate through our programs, classrooms, performance stages, and athletic fields. 

Gifts to the Sonoma Academy Fund go directly to the people and programs that make SA the unique and special place that it is. The funds support our day-to-day operations, including faculty salaries, program support, new curriculum, financial aid, facilities, classroom materials, and more. We raise, receive, and spend all Sonoma Academy Fund revenue in the current school year.  All Sonoma Academy Fund gifts are 100% tax deductible.

Our families want to support those programs that impact their students most directly. With that in mind you are able to direct your gifts within the Sonoma Academy Fund to be allocated to: the Arts at SA, Athletics (speech & debate falls under athletics), Student Experience & Student Support, Tuition Assistance and/or a purely discretionary fund. Thank you for your support!

Give a Gift to the Sonoma Academy Fund

FAQ's

List of 5 frequently asked questions.

  • How are Sonoma Academy Fund dollars used?

    Virtually no part of the school is untouched by your Sonoma Academy Fund gift. Program development, faculty salaries, counseling, field trips, class retreats, intersession, financial aid, library resources, science equipment, art supplies, drama and music productions, on-campus speakers, up-to-date technology, athletic equipment and much more rely on annual giving. Because the school uses your Sonoma Academy Fund gifts in so many ways, it is most helpful to give an unrestricted gift which allows us the flexibility to meet immediate needs and take advantage of opportunities as they arise. We will always steward your gift to its highest and best use for the school.

  • What about matching gifts?

    Hundreds of companies, businesses, and organizations will match your Sonoma Academy Fund gift. To find out if your company does, first contact Kim Eber, Director of Advancement.

  • What size gift should I make, and when should I make it?

    We ask you to consider stretching to make as generous a gift as is manageable for your family, as early in the school year as possible. We are happy to accommodate a pledge commitment before December 31 to be paid in installments that will be completed by June 30, the end of our fiscal year. We are proud to have a diverse population at Sonoma Academy, and therefore the gifts we receive range widely in size. We simply ask that all families stand together by participating at a level that feels appropriate.

  • Do you accept gifts of stock/securities in the Sonoma Academy Fund?

    Of course! 

    You will need our Federal Tax ID #: 94-3343174.
     
    If you are donating shares of stock that have no restrictions attached to their sale, please email Kimberly Eber for the necessary Sonoma Academy account information to complete an online transfer of stock.
     
    Before or at the time of the transfer, please contact, or have your broker contact Kimberly by phone or email with the following information:
    • the donor name
    • the number of shares
    • the name of the stock being donated
    This step is important because when stock arrives in the account, the name of the donor is not included.
     
    For tax purposes, the value of your donation is calculated using the closing price of the stock on the day the stock is transferred. The school will sell the stock as soon as it is posted to the account.

  • Are there other funding sources outside the school community?

    Yes, and this is where your participation speaks volumes. One of the first questions asked by outside donors and foundations is what percentage of our current parents participate in the Sonoma Academy Fund. Achieving as close to 100% participation as we possibly can is one of the most powerful metrics we can report. All sizes of gifts carry the same weight in terms of participation and we are proud of the economic diversity our wide range of gifts represents. We cannot achieve 100% without a gift from every family.

The Mark West Society

Generous and consistent annual giving are the hallmarks of all great schools. We are proud to report that an impressive number of our donors consistently give to the Sonoma Academy Fund every year.

The Mark West Society was founded in July 2010 to honor individuals and families who have supported the annual fund for five or more years consecutively. Giving levels of Mark West Society families covers a wide range, as do their relationships to the school. Some are founders and trustees, some are current or alumni parents, some are grandparents, and some are staff members. However, they do share one thing: they have made gifts to Sonoma Academy every year, never missing a year. There is no greater gift than consistency.

We induct a new group of donors into the society every June, so please don’t miss a year. If you wish to check on how many years you have given, please email kimberly.eber@sonomaacademy.org.

The Sonoma Academy Fund Supports:

  • Exploratory Exploratory

    Exploratory

    Short courses without grades that allow students to try new things, discover interests, and have fun in a stress-free environment. 

    Learn More
  • Health & Wellness Health & Wellness

    Health & Wellness 

    Students develop the skills and competencies they need to navigate the transition to adulthood.
    Learn More
  • Intersession Intersession

    Intersession

    An immersive, alternative learning experience between semesters with opportunities for exploration, risk-taking, travel, and more.

    Learn More
  • Passport Program Passport Program

    Passport Program

    Because adolescence is the perfect time to learn to communicate across cultures, all students receive one free international Intersession. 

    Learn More
  • Retreats Retreats
    Retreats offer students an opportunity to to laugh, work cooperatively, and to play together. These bonding experiences help create a cohesive and connected class, accelerating the students' ability to thrive in the classroom.
  • Fitzsimmons Black Box Theater Fitzsimmons Black Box Theater

    Fitzsimmons Black Box Theater

    A small, classic "black box" theater space, our students have produced incredibly creative shows here. The black box lends itself to flights of fancy, where if you can imagine it, you can bring it to life on stage.
  • Fabrication Studio Fabrication Studio

    Fabrication Studio

    A large, open space that can be configured as needed, the fabrication studio has a front half, where projects are assembled, and a back half, where the large equipment is stored and where materials may be prepared for fabrication.
  • Thinkway Toy Lab Thinkway Toy Lab

    Thinkway Toy Lab

    A donation by Thinkway Toys, the company responsible for turning Pixar characters into toys, made this studio possible. Here students tinker, play, and create while learning principles of robotics, engineering, and design thinking.
  • Digital Media Studio Digital Media Studio

    Digital Media Studio

    Endowed with ample professional level computers and all the software needed to work with film, photography, audio, and much more, our students explore their creativity in the Digital Media Studio.
  • Recording Studio Recording Studio

    Recording Studio

    With a separate sound control room, soundproofing, and green screen, this studio is where our students produce original music recordings, podcasts, and TV-style broadcasts.
  • Teaching Kitchen Teaching Kitchen

    Teaching Kitchen

    Equipped with movable induction stovetops, as well as a double-oven and all the cooking utensils you could ever need, our students learn about the culture of food, a variety of cooking and baking techniques, and nutrition.
  • Art Gallery Art Gallery

    Art Gallery

    One of the only schools to have its own art gallery, we have artist shows throughout the year from artists who take an innovative approach and enhance our art curriculum. Student work is also displayed here.
  • Library Library

    Library

    Our Library's resources include over 12,000 books, CDs, and DVDs; magazine and newspaper subscriptions; 15 subscription databases; and a full-time librarian to help students access and navigate these resources.
2500 Farmers Lane 
Santa Rosa, CA 95404 
(707) 545-1770 
inbox@sonomaacademy.org
 

Sonoma Academy Is...

...the only private, independent, college preparatory high school in Sonoma County. On our beautiful campus nestled at the base of Taylor Mountain in Southeastern Santa Rosa, our students are able to explore their interests and passions in a rigorous and inspiring environment that develops a lifelong love of learning and prepares them for college and beyond.
Sonoma Academy admits students of any race, color, religion, ethnicity or national origin, citizenship, gender or gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability, to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity or national origin, citizenship, gender or gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and tuition assistance programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.