Ways to Give

• Donations can be made online at: www.da.org/give 
   

• Checks can be mailed to Durham Academy.
  
  Durham Academy
  Office of Philanthropy
  3601 Ridge Road
  Durham, NC 27705
  
  The Office of Philanthropy is located in the the brick building at the corner of Pickett and Ridge roads on the Upper School campus. 

If you contribute appreciated securities to Durham Academy, you receive a two-fold income tax benefit: a charitable deduction for the present fair market value and no capital gains tax on the appreciation. 

Charles Schwab & Co 
DTC Clearing 0164, Code 40 
DURHAM ACADEMY – GIFT 
Account # 44850558 
Durham Academy Federal Tax ID: 56-0538019 
 

IMPORTANT: Please notify Lindsay Ostara in advance of your transfer so your gift may be processed in a timely manner and correctly credited. Email giftsadministrator@da.org or leave a voicemail at 919-489-6569 x6148 and include the type of stock and number of shares you are transferring.

Durham Academy now accepts cryptocurrency through Every.org, a US 501(c)(3) public charity. Every.org will immediately send you a receipt by email, and Every.org will send the grant to Durham Academy on your behalf.

Our exchange charges a 1% flat fee to automatically liquidate cryptocurrency immediately after receipt. Every.org does not charge any fees of its own.

Make a Gift of Cryptocurrency

Note: Please use Every.org only for gifts of cryptocurrency. All other gifts to Durham Academy should be made through the traditional DA channels. (As usual, credit card gifts should be made via our Veracross giving form.)

Many employers offer matching gift benefits for employees, helping you to double or triple the amount of your contribution!

Learn More About Matching Gifts

The 1933 Legacy Society was created to recognize donors who make a planned gift to Durham Academy such as a bequest, charitable annuity or trust. To learn more about creative ways you can support Durham Academy through planned giving, please contact Chris Farr at chris.farr@da.org.

Learn More About Planned Gifts

Endowed funds provide stability as they support the school on an annual basis in perpetuity. Durham Academy’s endowment comprises various restricted and unrestricted endowment and scholarship funds. 

Learn More About Endowed Funds

Simply, your gift advances Durham Academy’s mission. Philanthropy is integral to ensuring the best academic experience for each student, providing growth and development opportunities for faculty, supporting our culture of diversity and inclusion, and bridging the gap between tuition and the cost of a DA education. Your support matters!

Durham Academy has a strong culture of giving. Each year, trustees, parents, alumni, grandparents, parents of alumni, faculty, staff and friends give generously. The school also receives support from grants awarded by local and national foundations.

Durham Academy is grateful for a gift of any amount and hopes each family will give according to their means. This collective investment speaks volumes to our wider community. Because every student and every teacher benefits from the DA Fund, we encourage all members of our community to participate.

Durham Academy’s fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30, and gifts of all sizes and types are welcome throughout the year. By making your gift early, you help ensure that DA has the resources needed to support students and faculty and address the school’s most pressing priorities from day one. Early support provides immediate flexibility and strengthens the school’s ability to invest in the people, programs and opportunities that make the Durham Academy experience exceptional.

Held annually each spring, Durham Academy Giving Day is a 24-hour celebration of collective generosity that unites the DA community in support of the school. Although DA benefits from gifts made early in the fiscal year, Giving Day provides a special opportunity to participate alongside fellow parents, alumni, grandparents, faculty, staff and friends. Any additional support, including helping spread the word, is greatly appreciated.

Yes! If your employer matches donations made to educational institutions, your gift can be increased at no additional cost to you. Visit da.org/match to see if your employer participates. You will be credited for the total amount of the gift (donor contribution + employer match).

Gifts to Durham Academy can support the Durham Academy Fund, an endowed fund, a specific program or capital projects. Gifts to the Durham Academy Fund are unrestricted, which allows the school to apply your gift toward our area of greatest need. Gifts made to restricted endowment funds, school programs or capital improvement funds support those specific areas of the school. All charitable donations are tax-deductible.

The Durham Academy Fund is an annual philanthropic effort that raises money to subsidize tuition income in order to meet the school’s operating budget. The true cost of an independent school education is not fully covered by tuition and fees. Schools like Durham Academy have a long history of relying on the generosity of their community to cover this difference.

We could, but augmenting tuition with DA Fund dollars allows the Board of Trustees to keep tuition at a competitive rate with our peers. Additionally, contributions to the DA Fund are tax-deductible, while tuition payments are not.  

Durham Academy’s most ambitious campaign, Beyond the Threshold (2018–2024), raised more than $34 million for the school’s future. Today, DA is partnering with Lord Aeck Sargent to create a long-term campus master plan, informed by broad community input, that will guide growth, facilities and sustainability priorities for the next 10 to 20 years.

Yes! If you are interested in learning more about named spaces, please contact the Philanthropy Team.

Unless anonymity is requested, donors are recognized in Durham Academy’s annual Impact Report , published in print and online, at the following giving levels:

• $25,000 and above (Head of School Circle)
• $10,000–$24,999
• $5,000–$9,999 (Academy Circle)
• $2,500–$4,999
• $1,000–$2,499
• Up to $999

If a donor wishes to remain anonymous, their gift is listed as anonymous. Alumni donors are recognized by class year. In addition, DA also recognizes donors in special lifetime and legacy giving societies.

Named in honor of Durham Academy’s founding families, first headmistress and founding year, Giving Societies celebrate individuals whose generosity and vision have helped shape the school’s future. Through lifetime giving and planned gifts, members demonstrate an enduring commitment to Durham Academy and its mission.

• Hill-Kenan Society — gifts of $1,000,000 or more
• Bess Pickard Boone Society — gifts of $250,000–$999,999
• 1933 Society — gifts of estate

Any member of the Philanthropy Team can assist you with making a gift or learning more about philanthropy at Durham Academy.

DA thoughtfully chooses our community partners, knowing that the school cannot support every cause. The DA Fund is the school’s top fundraising priority, but we welcome you to support these other opportunities throughout the school year.

Each year, we bring together a dedicated group of DA Fund volunteers who strengthen our fundraising efforts by actively engaging with fellow members of the Durham Academy community. Serving as ambassadors for the school, these volunteers use thoughtful, peer-to-peer outreach to foster meaningful connections, share the impact of philanthropy, and inspire others to support the DA Fund.

Through personal conversations, outreach and relationship-building, our fundraising committee helps broaden participation and deepen engagement across our community. Their passion, enthusiasm, and commitment encourage families, alumni, grandparents, parents of alumni and friends to invest in the exceptional Durham Academy experience. Together, these volunteers play an essential role in growing both the number of donors and the collective impact of every gift, ensuring that DA continues to provide transformative opportunities for every student. For more information on getting involved with our fundraising efforts, please contact Christine Lunsford, director of the DA Fund, at christine.lunsford@da.org.

Additionally, every parent and caregiver becomes a member of the Durham Academy Family Association (DAFA) upon joining our community. Powered by hundreds of volunteers each year, DAFA strengthens the DA experience by building community, supporting students and faculty, and enriching school life. From volunteering in the classroom to coordinating large-scale events to serving as a room parent or helping connect new families with mentors, there are meaningful ways for every parent and caregiver to get involved. We would welcome your volunteerism! To learn more about getting involved with DAFA, visit www.da.org/family.