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Gifts to Kent School can be made by Cash, Check, or Credit card.

Make checks out to Kent School, and send them to: 
Kent School
c/o Development Office
6788 Wilkins Lane
Chestertown, MD 21620

You can make a credit card gift securely through our website, here.

Recognizing donors who make Kent School a part of their estate plans, the Luminary Society encourages alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends with charitable intent to use cost-efficient planning techniques to produce smart gifting. Simple bequests or planned gifts can enable you to make larger gifts to Kent School than you ever thought possible while also enjoying a substantial tax deduction. Your gift will cost nothing now; a simple codicil may be added to your will or a number of planned gift instruments may also provide you with income for life while protecting your assets.

Making a planned gift is a great way to show your support and appreciation for Kent School and its mission while fulfilling your own personal, financial, estate-planning and philanthropic goals. With smart planning, you may actually increase the size of your estate and/or reduce the tax burden on your heirs. More importantly, you will know you have made a meaningful contribution to the future of Kent School.

Of critical importance is the kind of asset used to fund the gift. Usually long-term appreciated securities can generate the most favorable tax benefits. We encourage you to speak with your financial advisor as you consider ways you can support the Together We Soar campaign.

By participating, you are an enlightened leader preserving a bright future for Kent School and every student we will serve.

Making a planned gift is a wonderful way to show your support and appreciation for Kent School and its mission while accommodating your own personal, financial, estate-planning, and philanthropic goals. Your advance planning for this additional gift will mean that Kent School can continue to shape the lives of students for generations to come.

Planned Giving Opportunities
(1) Bequests
You may prefer to state in your will or trust a sum of money or a percentage of your estate that you wish to give to Kent School. Whatever form of bequest you choose, it is not subject to federal estate taxes and so significantly reduces the tax burden of an estate. The value of the bequest may be deducted when the taxable estate is determined, and there is no limit to the deduction.

(2) Gifts from Retirement Plans
Your retirement-plan benefits are very likely a significant portion of your net worth. And because of special tax considerations, they could make an excellent choice for funding a charitable gift. Retirement-plan benefits include assets held in individual retirement accounts (IRAs), 401(k) plans, profit-sharing plans, Keogh plans, and 403(b) plans.

(3) Other Ways to Give
Kent School is in the process of developing the ability to offer Charitable Gift Annuities and Charitable Trusts. If you are interested in these options, please contact the Development Office. Planned gifts may be directed to an existing endowment for scholarship, professional development or the general endowment (or another area of your choosing. Gifts that are not directed to a specific purpose will be used as unrestricted donations and directed to an appropriate need as designated by the Head of School and Investment Committee.

The Osprey Fund, Kent School's annual effort, is our top fundraising priority. Tuition revenue only covers about 90% of the true cost of a Kent School education. The Osprey Fund bridges that gap by supporting each student, teacher, and program. Large or small, every gift to Kent School is important.

The Ben P. Gale Founders Fund provides merit-based scholarships to students who have demonstrated exceptionally strong moral behavior, and have exhibited significant academic talent throughout the course of their studies.

A strong endowment provides the foundation for academic excellence. Kent School’s endowment sits at nearly $3 million and generates a blended draw of four to five percent annually depending on the endowed fund to the operating budget, calculated on a rolling three year average. These funds support student tuition assistance, employee compensation, professional development, the Kudner Leyon Visiting Writer program, facility maintenance, and other expenditures not fully covered in our annual operating budget. Earnings from the endowment position Kent School to meet unforeseen and unbudgeted expenses as they arise.

Gifts to the General Endowment Fund help the school with long range planning and expenditures. Endowed funds are invested and the school draws a percentage of the annual interest income to support financial assistance, facility maintenance and other expenditures not covered in our annual operating budget.

The Lois Duffey Fund was established for existing Kent School students who, for some unforeseen financial reason, would otherwise not be able to continue attending. They should be students who contribute positively to the school community, academically or otherwise.

The Washington College Endowment Fund was established at Kent School in 2019 as part of Together We Soar: The 50th Anniversary Campaign for Kent School. The Fund will provide tuition assistance for the families of Washington College employees who are enrolled at Kent School. In the event that no such Washington College affiliated family applies for tuition assistance, a portion of the endowment draw from this fund, as directed by the School’s Endowment Committee, may be used to fund Washington College student interns.

The Joan C. Merriken Scholarship Endowment Fund was established in order to provide funds for alumni children who are eager to learn and possess a spirit consistent with Joan Merriken's vision for the school. These students strive for academic and personal excellence in the classroom and through the positive impact they have on others. The Joan C. Merriken Scholarship Fund is restricted to families who can demonstrate a financial need. 

The Kudner Leyon Memorial Fund of the Kent School Endowment was established in 2000 and supports the Kudner Leyon Visiting Writers Program. The Program allows Kent School to host acclaimed authors and/or illustrators for a day of workshops and presentations that engage our students and reflect the emphasis we place on writing, reading, and the literary arts at every grade level. The program is a celebration of books, the creative process, and story creation. The Fund was named for Ariana Kudner and Amanda Leyon of the Class of 1991. Both girls tragically lost their lives in a car accident while they were in high school. This Memorial Fund was established to honor both girls' love of books.

Colonel and Mrs. Richard Revie established this scholarship fund in memory of their son and granddaughter. Donations to this fund support financial aid for Kent School students in their formative years at Kent School. The Revie Scholarship is an endowed fund.