Giving 101

You will receive a gift acknowledgment and thank you note. To be recognized publicly, your name will be listed in the Annual Report of donors by class, unless you want to be anonymous. 

We greatly appreciate dedicated alumni donors. We recognize loyalty in several ways:

• In the Annual Report, alumni who give for five consecutive years receive a black paw next to their name. Alumni who give for ten consecutive years or more receive a red paw.
• In 2017, as part of Harvard-Westlake's 25th anniversary, alumni who supported the school financially for 25 total years (not necessarily consecutive) were recognized as members of the Silver Society. We have a recognition society for donors who have given for 25 or more years!

Harvard-Westlake is a 501(c)(3) and all gifts are tax-deductible.

Harvard-Westlake's fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30 of the following year.

The amount you give is your decision and should be what is meaningful to you. We truly appreciate gifts of any size and receive contributions from $5 on up.

Many alumni honor their class year by giving a gift equivalent to their year of graduation (e.g., $20.08). The most common gift is $25, and the median gift is $100.

Most alumni support unrestricted giving through Annual Giving (i.e., the annual operating budget) or the financial aid endowment through the Alumni Scholar Endowment. There are several named and special funds if you are interested in honoring a specific teacher or supporting a specific program. Please contact alumni@hw.com with questions.

If you are thinking about making a larger gift, there are different giving circles and recognition levels.

If you are 40 years old or younger, you can join the Wolverine Giving Society by making a pledge of $25,000 (to be paid over five years or less).

You can become a member of the Canyon and Glen Society by making a bequest or including Harvard-Westlake in your will. 

There are opportunities to impact Harvard-Westlake and its students in perpetuity by establishing an endowment in one of our institutional priorities.

Please contact Director of Major & Planned Kate Villasenor if you want to discuss the next level of your philanthropy.