"We prepare students to engage in the world that is and to help bring about a world that ought to be."
Every Friends student benefits from the generosity of our Annual Giving contributors. High community participation is a testament to our strength as an institution. It reflects the loyalty and support of our constituents to Friends Seminary.


The Fund for Friends: FAQ

List of 4 frequently asked questions.

  • What is the Fund for Friends?

    The Fund for Friends, also referred to as Annual Giving, serves as the base support for the School. Tuition does not cover the full cost of a Friends Seminary education. Simply put, the Fund makes up the shortfall between tuition and endowment income, and the actual costs of a Friends education. Every independent school, college and university has this gap. Gifts to the Fund for Friends are applied directly into the current year. These differ from Capital Campaign gifts, which are used to build or renovate facilities or to build the endowment.
  • Why is Annual Giving important?

    Every Friends student benefits from the generosity of our Annual Giving contributors, because tuition does not cover the real cost of a Friends education. Tuition covers only 84% of the operating budget, so we rely on the Fund for Friends to make up the shortfall.
  • Why is participation so important?

    High donor participation is a testament to our strength as an institution. It reflects the loyalty and support of our constituents, and serves to provide a sustained pool of donors for the operating budget of the School. All members of the community are asked to contribute to the Fund for Friends as their means allow. Through Annual Giving, all alumni, parents, grandparents and friends can express their philanthropic commitment to Friends, and make a gift that is personally meaningful. 
  • Where do the proceeds of the Fund for Friends go?

    Unrestricted funds go where they are needed most. More specifically, the Fund for Friends gifts are directed to the operating budget to help pay faculty salaries, fund financial aid, and support programs and activities that make Friends a most unique institution. By giving back through the Fund you are providing support for competitive faculty salaries in NYC, scholarships and financial aid for 1 in 4 students, science and computer labs, athletic programs, innovative curricula, community service programs, music and drama productions, and events, such as Peace Week.

Leadership Circles

Robert Murray Founders Circle
$50,000 and up

Third Century  Circle
$25,000-$49,999

Mariana Wright Chapman Circle
$10,000-$24,999

Earle Hunter Circle
$6,000-$9,999

Principals Circle
$3,000-$5,999

1786 Circle
$1,786-$2,999

Schoolhouse Sustainers

Rutherford Circle
$1,000-$1,785

Meetinghouse Associates
$500-$999

Family of Friends
up to $499
Friends Seminary actively promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in all its programs and operations, including admissions, financial aid, hiring, and all facets of the educational experience. To form a community which strives to reflect the world’s diversity, we do not discriminate on the basis of race or color, religion, nationality, ethnicity, economic background, physical ability, sex, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation. Friends Seminary is an equal opportunity employer.

FRIENDS SEMINARY
222 East 16th Street
New York, NY 10003
P: 212-979-5030
F: 212.979.5034
Friends Seminary — the oldest continuously operated, coeducational school in NYC — serves college-bound day students in Kindergarten-Grade 12.