Your Support Matters

The spirit of giving is fundamental to Chicago City Day School’s culture of kindness. From the School’s founding in 1981 to the present, our donors — parents, grandparents, faculty, alumni, staff, and friends — have made sure that City Day continues to grow and thrive.

Your generous gifts have made possible the remarkable School we know today: a uniquely transformative environment where children embrace learning with joy and confidence.

Our son has enjoyed Chicago City Day School so much that we want to donate to honor your great traditions. Just seeing him run downstairs to join his teachers and his classmates each day is all the confirmation we need to know he is in the right place. Malcolm MacDonald and Romana Younan City Day Parents

The City Day Annual Fund

The centerpiece of our fundraising efforts is the Annual Fund. Like most independent schools, Chicago City Day is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that relies on voluntary contributions to help bridge the gap between tuition income and the actual cost of educating our students.

Contributions support every aspect of school life, from daily classroom activities to our coral reef research project in Bimini and immersive travel experiences overseas. The Annual Fund supports tuition assistance, technology and design, competitive compensation for faculty and staff, athletics, service learning trips, facilities and grounds, fine arts, security and sanitation, professional development opportunities, and more.

Why We Give

City Day donors write about the importance of giving back.

Your gifts to the Annual Fund are fully tax-deductible, and every gift has a direct impact, no matter the size.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Annual Fund?

Like most independent schools, Chicago City Day School is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that relies on Annual Fund contributions to bridge the gap between tuition income and the actual cost of education. Gifts to the Annual Fund are the cornerstone of City Day philanthropy: Tuition dollars pay for 80% of our educational programs, and Annual Fund donations cover the rest.

How will my Annual Fund gifts be used?

Annual Fund gifts support all aspects of our educational programs, including tuition assistance, technology and design, competitive compensation for faculty and staff, athletics, service learning trips, facilities and grounds, fine arts, security systems and sanitation, and professional development opportunities.

Your Annual Fund gifts help City Day:

Maintain small class sizes.
Offer an individualized and rigorous curriculum.
Recruit, retain and professionally develop exceptional faculty and staff.
Maintain minimal tuition increases.
Provide financial aid. (You can specifically request that your
Annual Fund donation be given to financial aid.)
Enhance and maintain campus infrastructure.
Support the arts, athletics, tech, environmental studies, and music programs.
Support Extended Day and Open Gym.
Support extracurricular events and service learning trips.
Respond to unforeseen, unbudgeted events with minimal or
no disruption to educational services.

What is the suggested donation amount?

Why is participation so important?

How do I donate?

Matching gifts multiply your impact

Your company can help us meet our Annual Fund goals. Many companies have matching gift programs, sometimes doubling or tripling their employees’ (and their spouses’) charitable contributions. Your employer’s HR department can provide information about their matching gift program.

If you plan to apply for a matching gift, please contact Alexa Hand, Director of Development.

We are truly grateful for our community’s extraordinary past support. Please help carry forward this proud tradition of philanthropy and make a gift to City Day.