Graland's Endowment: Financial Strength and Stewardship
School endowments provide financial support and strength for Graland in perpetuity through long-term investment and annual distributions to the school’s operating budget.
How do endowments work?
Endowment distributions are a critical part of Graland’s financial model. Coupled with the Graland Annual Fund, these annual distributions cover 12% of the school’s operating costs. The annual fund complements tuition revenue and allows tuition levels to be set thoughtfully in an effort to uphold the school’s commitment to socio-economic diversity.
What is the Graland Foundation?
In 1993, the Graland Country Day School Board of Trustees created the Graland Country Day School Foundation (“the Graland Foundation”). This separately incorporated organization was designed to ensure Graland’s future through financial stewardship of the school’s endowment.
With an initial investment of $7.4 million, contributions and earnings over the past 25 years have brought the current value of Graland’s endowment to approximately $40 million. During this same time frame, $22.7 million in earnings from the endowment were distributed back to Graland.
Graland Gratitude
Thank you to 1,000+ donors who have supported Graland through endowment gifts. We are grateful for all gifts, including those that established named funds within the school’s endowment:
List of 6 items.
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Financial Aid
Graland believes a diverse environment is ideal for learning and the school is committed to making tuition affordable for qualified students from all backgrounds through need-based financial assistance. Annual distributions from endowment funds in support of financial aid provide tuition assistance to students with demonstrated need.Alumni Financial Aid Fund, 2002Established to provide financial aid to middle income families.ASCEND Financial Aid Endowment, 2017Established to support the school’s commitment to creating an environment with diverse perspectives and backgrounds that inspires all to broaden our viewpoints, to investigate, to discover.Boettcher Endowment, 2004Established with an initial grant in 1982, the purpose was to promote and increase racial and socio-economic diversity within the student body.Financial Aid/Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Fund, 2003Established to provide tuition funds for students of traditionally under-represented demographics.Financial Aid Endowment, 1999Established by the Graland Board of Trustees.M2 Scholarship Fund, 2015Created in conjunction with the ASCEND campaign to provide financial aid for students in need.Piek Financial Aid Endowment, 2006Established by the Durham Family to provide first time students entering the middle school with financial aid. The purpose is to aid students who showed exemplary aptitude in the application process..Piton Endowment, 1978Established to be used as financial aid for students of color. In 1991, this fund was transferred to the Graland Endowment Fund.Walton Family Foundation Fund, 2016Established as part of the ASCEND campaign to provide financial aid to middle income families. -
Faculty Support
Graland’s greatest asset is the faculty. They are at the heart of what defines the excellence that is Graland Country Day School. Endowment funds listed below are in support of faculty. They help Graland to attract, retain, and develop outstanding teachers through increasing faculty compensation and professional development opportunities.Marian Anschutz Memorial Trust, 1987Established by The Anschutz Family Foundation in tribute to the late Marian Anschutz. The purpose of this fund is to attract and retain superior faculty and reward outstanding teacher
performance.ASCEND Professional Development Endowment, 2017Established to empower Graland’s faculty to be active leaders and to supply them with the tools and motivation to help students reach their highest potential.Pam Bent Fund, 2017Established through a bequest gift by Pam Bent, former director of athletics and coach, to support a remastered faculty compensation system that both elevates teacher salaries and aligns them with the school’s goals of collaboration, innovation and leadership.Borgen Family Endowment, 1991Originally established to enhance and encourage professional development, in 2015 the Borgen Family Fellowship was created within this endowment to support one or more educators per year in the pursuit of professional growth through advanced degree programs and/or strategic impact to curriculum.Fund for Excellence, 1980Established by the Graland Board of Trustees to generate funds for competitive salaries and benefits to faculty.Cydney and Tom Marsico Family Foundation Fund, 2015
Established as part of the ASCEND campaign to further professional development with regard to early childhood education. An additional fund was established in 2017 to support a remastered faculty compensation system that both elevates teacher salaries and aligns them with the school’s goals of collaboration, innovation and leadership.Martin Family Fund for Faculty Compensation, 2017Established to support a remastered faculty compensation system that both elevates teacher salaries and aligns them with the school’s goals of collaboration, innovation and leadership.Walton Family Foundation Fund, 2016Established as part of the ASCEND Campaign to provide professional development funding to empower teachers to help students reach their highest potential. -
The McCaffrey Early Childhood Learning Center
The Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC) opened in 2011 to serve children ages 1 to 4 and was named for Ronni McCaffrey, former Head of School, in 2017 in commemoration of her retirement. This program provides high-quality childcare for children of faculty, an incredibly valuable benefit to teachers with young children. It also includes preschool and prekindergarten programs that are open to enrollment. The presence of our youngest children on campus creates and reinforces our commitment to families. Endowment funds in support of the ECLC ensure the continuation and growth of this program in perpetuity.Pam Bent Fund, 2017Established through a bequest gift by Pam Bent, former director of athletics and coach, this fund supports teachers and their families by helping to fund the Early Childhood Learning Center.Barbara Frank Fund, 2017Established as part of the ASCEND campaign, the purpose of the fund is to provide subsidized support to Graland’s faculty and staff whose children, ages 1 to 4 years, are enrolled in Graland’s Early Childhood Learning Center.Nancy Kearney Fund, 2017Established as part of the ASCEND campaign, the purpose of the fund is to provide subsidized support to Graland’s faculty and staff whose children, ages 1 to 4 years, are enrolled in Graland’s Early Childhood Learning Center.McCaffrey Early Learning Endowment, 2017Established as part of the ASCEND campaign, the purpose of the fund is to provide subsidized support to Graland’s faculty and staff whose children, ages 1 to 4 years, are enrolled in Graland’s Early Childhood Learning Center.McCaffrey Early Learning Quasi Fund, 2017Established as part of the ASCEND campaign, the purpose of the fund is to provide subsidized support to Graland’s faculty and staff whose children, ages 1 to 4 years, are enrolled in Graland’s Early Childhood Learning Center. This was established as a quasi-endowment fund so that additional funding from the corpus of the fund could be utilized, if necessary.Ronni McCaffrey Fund, 2017Established as part of the ASCEND campaign, the purpose of the fund is to provide subsidized support to Graland’s faculty and staff whose children, ages 1 to 4 years, are enrolled in Graland’s Early Childhood Learning Center.Ben and Lucy Ana Walton Fund for Early Learning Employee Daycare, 2017Created as part of the ASCEND campaign to contribute funding for The Early Childhood Learning Center Endowment. -
Campus Preservation
Graland’s seven acres contain nine buildings which are fully used by 150 faculty and staff and 700 students. Endowment funds in support of our campus and facilities are crucial to the maintenance and upkeep of Graland’s campus.The Campus Fund, 1990Established by the Graland Board of Trustees for the betterment of the Graland Country Day School campus, this fund is restricted to repairs, maintenance and replacements on campus. Fieldhouse Campus Fund was established in 2002 to support the new fieldhouse. This fund was merged with the original Campus Fund in 2012. -
Programs and Operations
Graland’s program is centered around academic excellence and strong character and Graland works to ensure the program exceeds expectations. Graland is committed to offering a strong curricula balanced with authentic, hands-on learning experiences. Developing the whole child is what Graland does best, and building intellectual excellence with strong character is core to the mission. Endowment funds in support of school programs enhance Graland’s comprehensive curricula to position students to lead, learn and serve throughout their lives.Pam Bent Athletic Fund, 2017Established through a bequest gift by Pam Bent, former director of athletics and coach, to support the athletic facilities and athletic programs.Charles C. Gates Invention & Innovation Fund, 2005Established as an endowed fund following the original gift in 1998 that established a competition based on invention and innovation.Charles C. Gates Chair of Innovation, 2015Created by the Gates Frontier Fund to endow the Chair of Innovative Learning which includes support and oversight of the Gates Competition. The chair oversees all innovative learning programs at Graland.The Hamilton Endowment, 1996Established by Hamilton Oil Companies to create a fund restricted to operating projects and not capital projects.Alice Elizabeth Raudenbush Memorial Fund, 1999Established in honor of the late Alice Raudenbush, Class of 1992, in support of arts and music programs. -
General Endowment
Donors to the general endowment established named funds to support the top priorities of Graland Country Day School as determined by the Board of Trustees and the Administration, aligned with the school’s mission and strategic goals. These funds are particularly valuable as they provide the school flexibility in funding its priorities and strategic objectives.Anschutz Foundation General Endowment, 1987Established to fund building and general operations and supplemented in 2015 as part of the ASCEND campaign, it continues to support operational maintenance, preservation, and structural integrity of Graland’s buildings.ASCEND General Endowment, 2017Frederick R. Mayer Endowment, 1981Judith B & Joseph E Wagner Endowment Fund, 1995Established as part of the 21st Century Campaign.Lawrence Phipps Foundation, 1961Transferred to Graland Endowment in 1993.Lawrence Phipps Trust, 1959
Transferred to Graland endowment in 1996.Mr. & Mrs. Alan R. Phipps Endowment, 1981The Ellie Caulkins Endowment, 1994Mr. & Mrs. Michael Murphy Endowment, 1996Mr. & Mrs. Phillip Anschutz Endowment, 1999Mr. & Mrs. Walter S. Rosenberry Fund, 1991Anonymous Unrestricted Endowment, 2005
Funding an Endowment
If you are interested in supporting Graland’s endowment through any of the above funds, the Inspire Campaign or by establishing your own, please contact Kristin Eklund ‘88 Weber at 303-398-3623.
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1924, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
