Frequently Asked Questions

What is the goal of this year's Pledge Drive?
We hope to raise $60,000 for Burr this year. About half of that we expect to come from the Spring Gala and the other half from the pledge drive.


Why a Pledge Drive?
We love our school. We love the principal and the staff and teachers. But we have ideas on how to make it better. We'd love some new technology. There are building improvements we want to make. There are books, games, and other supplies we'd like to buy for the kids. And many parents have asked how they can support the school and help make it even better.


Who are we asking?
We are asking for support from anyone who cares about making Burr a better school. That means:
  • parents of children already at the school
  • relatives of children already at the school
  • neighborhood parents interested in having a great neighborhood school

Is there a suggested donation?
There is no suggested donation. We suggest you look at the items we want to buy for the school and pledge accordingly. There may be an item that you are particularly interested in!


Can I give anonymously?
Yes, you can give anonymously. 


Will larger gifts be recognized?
For gifts of $500 or more, names will be posted at the school, either on a plaque or in some sort of artwork. For gifts of $1000 or more, in addition to the name recognition, the donor will get two tickets to the Burr Spring Gala. 


Can I help?
Yes! We so appreciate help. Here are a few ways you can help:
  • join the pledge drive team - contact us at friends.of.burr@gmail.com
  • offer your time and energy for the Burr beautification, who may need some painting hands
  • Tell your neighbors, friends and family who care about our school
  • If you know of any corporate sponsors, groups or organizations who you think could help us achieve our goals please let us know


What will the money be used for?
We've created four buckets of priorities.
  • Computers for our students
  • Support our Teachers (projectors and other technology, art supplies, books and games)
  • Burr Beautification (this could include paint, flower pots, furniture, and anything that enhances the building)
  • Future Programming (Pre-K Japanese, Lookingglass Drama, other initiatives) 


There are some programs I'd like to see at Burr. Can I pledge towards these?
Funding a program is an all-or-nothing endeavor, meaning that if a program costs $50,000 to implement, and we raise only $40,000, we can't launch part of the program. Since it's the first year of our pledge drive, we are focusing on incremental success. Anything we raise will have an impact on our school. In the future we'd love to raise money for programs, but we need to establish a benchmark first. We hope to be able to put aside some of the funds from Future Programming and build towards a program or position.



How Can I Pledge?
There are several ways to pledge:
  • By check: write a one-time check to the Friends of Burr and mail it to the school
  • Online: make a one-time pledge or pledge monthly in increments from the friends of Burr website, www.friendsofburr.org

Can I allocate my pledge to a specific area?
Yes! We hope everyone who pledges decides what they are most passionate about helping with at our school and puts funds towards one of the four buckets.  Please specify it on your pledge form or check, or in the Description box when pledging online. For example, you could just specify "Burr beautification" and your pledge will get used for the next priority on the list.


Can I donate goods or supplies instead of money?
We are grateful for ANY donation to our school and would love goods or supplies. Look at the teachers' wishlists for ideas on items that are needed. We can still provide a tax receipt for a donation of goods or supplies.


What if we exceed our goal of $60,000?
We hope we do! Since this is the first year of the pledge drive, we have no history to base our goal on. We thought $60k was an achievable goal, but there is still a lot more to do. If we raise more money, we'll be able to fulfill more of the wishlist items.