Q 1:     What is an Annual Fund?
A 1:    An Annual Fund is an organized effort to obtain monetary gifts on a yearly basis to support, at least in part, general operations of a nonprofit organization. At ISKL, our tuition covers the cost of a quality education. With roughly 80% of our tuition dollars going into faculty salaries, and the remaining 20% being spent on facilities, instructional expenses and longer-term capital expenditures such as refurbishing the existing campuses, alternate sources of income are needed to cover the “extras” that make ISKL a truly exceptional educational institution. “Extras” indicates items which are outside the school’s budget for the current school year.

The Annual Fund for ISKL runs from July 1 to June 30. The Annual Fund is just what the name implies - it is a fund to support the students and programs in the current school year. Because our school administration has done such an excellent job of managing its resources, it does not have to rely on the Annual Fund for its operating budget at this time. This allows the fund to have much greater flexibility to support new initiatives and/or items that simply won’t be purchased unless the money is donated.

Q 2:       Why does ISKL need an Annual Fund?
A 2:    Having an Annual Fund allows ISKL to receive and acknowledge charitable gifts from corporations, alumni, and parents. It allows the school to streamline its efforts to raise funds and to track gifts from all sources carefully. As the school continues to grow, it is more important that the “asking” is done professionally and through proper channels so that different groups within the school are not repeatedly requesting gifts from the same source. Funneling all of the charitable donations through one account also ensures that ISKL is aware of gifts as they are given so that proper thanks may be sent in a timely fashion. The Annual Fund also gives parents a way to direct gifts to the school such that their children can benefit directly from those gifts.

Q 3:     What kinds of projects and items does the Annual Fund support?
A 3:     ISKL is a parent-owned, parent-governed school. As such, the Annual Fund is very responsive to what parents want to see added to their children’s school. The 2011-12 Annual Fund will have a defined set of projects that it would like to see funded through charitable giving. These proposed projects and items will undergo an approval process at the campus and Head of School level to ensure that they are in line with the school’s mission and educational goals prior to being added to a “Wish List.” Proposals can come from teachers, administrators and sponsors of particular groups within the school. The Annual Fund is focused on improving academic rigor and excellence within its programs and activities in the near term. This list of projects that the Annual Fund supports will be updated monthly and available for viewing at all times on Panther Apps.

Q 4:       Can a donor sponsor a particular item off the Wish List?
A 4:       Yes! Once an item is added to the Wish List a donor may choose to underwrite the item in full, and remove it from the list. As soon as money is collected for a particular item, the item will be purchased and delivered as soon as is reasonably possible. If construction (which might be disruptive to students) is required, the project will commence at the first break when there is enough time to complete the project without disrupting school.

Q 5:      What are the ways a gift can be designated for the Annual Fund?
A 5:      Currently, there are 6 main categories to which gifts may be directed:

• General Fund – This category allows the school the most flexibility to meet needs as they arise, while sticking to projects which are on the Wish List almost exclusively.
• Athletics & Activities – This category is focused on extracurricular programs at both campuses.
• Visual and Performing Arts – This category supports creative arts, such as music, drama, and art.
• Sciences – This category supports environmental and technological initiatives.
• Libraries – This category supports library resources.

Online Giving
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Q 6:      How is the Annual Fund different from a Capital Campaign?
A 6:       The Annual Fund is focused on the current school year and things that can enhance learning experiences at ISKL for students now. It is repeated every year. A Capital Campaign is a multi-year campaign to fund a particular project, like a new school campus. Once the goal is reached, the campaign ends and is not repeated.

Q 7:    How is the fundraising for Annual Fund different from the fundraising done by the PTA and Booster Club? How do they all fit together to benefit the students of ISKL?
A 7:       The PTA does “fun-raising” for ISKL through social events such as International Fest and Quiz Night, and sales of items that support social life at ISKL such as school photos and student directories. The PTA awards all monies raised back to the school in the form of grants at the end of each school year. The Booster Club supports athletics and Fine Arts through grants which are funded by the sales of spirit wear and PAC Shack burgers. Both the PTA and Booster Club are parent-run organizations. The Annual Fund, by contrast, is the school’s fundraising vehicle, which utilizes parent volunteers, but is managed by the Development Office. It exists to solicit and receive charitable donations to the school. The Annual Fund will work in full partnership with the PTA and Booster Club to support the needs of students at ISKL in the current school year.

Q8:    What are the goals for the 2011-12 Annual Fund?
A 8:   The goal for 2011-2012 Annual Fund is to raise funds for specific projects or the general fund to benefit current students immediately.
    A second goal is to build on the significant momentum of the past two years and continue to provide an exceptional educational experience for our students.

Questions? Comments? Volunteers? Please contact the Annual Fund at advancement@iskl.edu.my