Klingenstein Center Teachers College

Why Give?

Strong schools require strong leadership throughout. Klingenstein Center programs provide the highest quality academic experience for outstanding teachers and administrators at every stage of their professional lives, from early career teachers through heads of schools. Individually and collectively, Klingenstein alumni go on to make an extraordinary difference in the field of independent school education and in the lives of students around the world.

Ensuring the best experience requires hiring outstanding professors, offering a cutting edge curriculum, providing talented students with full access to Columbia University’s resources and making the most of the benefits of studying within a small, closely-knit cohort. In addition, the Klingenstein Center provides more than a million dollars in scholarships for master’s degree students, school heads and early career teachers annually.

Financial support is critical for developing and keeping highly talented independent school educators in the field. Your gifts enable us to continue to build leadership and strengthen the independent school profession at every level by increasing the money we have to distribute to deserving students and by sending a strong message to major donors and foundations that the programs are highly valued.

Ways to Give

There are a number of ways to support the Klingenstein Center’s efforts, from student scholarships through program initiatives to planned giving. The Klingenstein Scholars Fund provides direct scholarship support to individual students. Gifts can also be directed to the Klingenstein Center endowment. Endowment gifts can help provide consistency for the long-term by generating interest from the fund for ongoing programs and services.

Planned Giving allows a donor to leave money/assets to the Center at his/her death and to invest money while receiving benefits during his/her life with a bequest of the remaining funds.

Giving can offer substantial tax benefits, provide income to you for the rest of your life and allow you to achieve your charitable wishes. For more information on the Scholars Fund or Endowment, please contact the Klingenstein Center office at tonge@tc.columbia.edu. To learn more about Planned Giving contact lore@tc.edu.

Corporations and Foundations

The Klingenstein Center works to establish relationships with foundations, corporations and philanthropic organizations whose giving mission matches Klingenstein Center needs and programs. In addition to the resources provided by the Klingenstein Fund, we seek support from other organizations for scholarship funding, program initiatives and curricular enhancement related to professional development, diversity, education and independent schools. Recent supporters include the Altman Foundation, Barnes Foundation and Benedict Foundation.

We welcome inquiries and contact from foundations and corporations, as well as suggestions from alumni and friends on potential partnerships with foundations and corporations.

FAQ

How do I make my gift?

The quickest way to make a gift to the Klingenstein Center is to use our secure online giving form on the website https://ssb.tc.columbia.edu/pls/wwwprod/bwakkgft.P_persinfo. All major credit cards are accepted and you will receive immediate confirmation of your gift.

If you are mailing a check, please be sure to make the check out to the Klingenstein Center, Teachers College, and send it to: The Klingenstein Center for Independent School Leadership, Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street, 204 Zankel, Box 25, New York, NY 10027.

How can I designate my gift to a specific program?

Donors can choose to direct their gifts to the Klingenstein Center’s endowment or to specifically support scholarship for any or all of the leadership programs through the Scholars Fund by designating them for: General Scholarship, which allows the Center to use the funds in the program where they are needed most; or selecting the Year-long Master’s program; the Summer Intensive Master’s program; the Heads program; or the Summer Institute for Early Career Teachers. Unless specifically designated, gifts to the Scholars Fund will be applied to general scholarship.

What is the matching gift program?

Contact your Human Resources office to see if your organization matches charitable gifts to Teachers College. If so, your gift may be worth two or three times as much.

Occasionally, foundations provide challenge grants to the Klingenstein Center for matching gifts. Alumni and friends of the Center will be given the opportunity to make gifts in support of these grants.

Will my gift be eligible for tax credit?

All Klingenstein Center supporters receive official receipts of their gift for tax purposes from the Teachers College development office.

When does the Klingenstein Center ask for support?

The Klingenstein Center’s fiscal year runs from September 1 through August 31. Solicitations for the annual Scholars’ Fund generally begin each October and end in August.

How often will I be contacted?

We send three to four direct appeals annually and work with alumni and students to reach as many individuals as possible. Once you make a Scholars’ Fund gift, you will be removed from the general mailing list. If you make your gift by December 31st, you will receive a year-end tax advantage and save the Center additional postage from print mailings.