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OUR COMMUNITY

New Families

Welcome to ECFS!

ECFS is a strong, vibrant, and intentional community because of the collective gifts of time, talent, and treasure bestowed by all. Everyone is asked to join in advancing the mission of our School by sharing their gifts and inspiring others to give.

The Orange Fund is our annual, community-wide fundraising drive that supports the pedagogy and programming that makes ECFS a leader in progressive education. We exceeded our Orange Fund goal last year, raising a total of $5.2 million and reaching 65% parent participation.
Make Your Donation
68% of new families contributed to the Orange Fund in FY26.
106 new families contributed, making up 6% of all Orange Fund donors. See the Orange Fund levels of giving. Gifts of any amount are appreciated.

Leadership Giving

All contributions to the Orange Fund are greatly valued and help ECFS sustain its vibrant, world-class progressive education that your children are now experiencing, but Leadership level support is the critical foundation of our fundraising efforts. The majority of funds raised each year are from donors who make gifts of $10,000 or more — In FY 26, Leadership giving accounted for 78% of overall gifts — over $4 million. Additionally, the generosity of Leadership donors makes a distinct impact on ECFS’s culture of philanthropy by motivating others to give both money and time and help build our purposeful community. If your family is able, we hope you will become a philanthropic leader with a gift of $10,000 or more this year. New families play an integral role in this demonstration of dedication — last year, 13 new families gave at the Leadership level.

To learn more about Leadership giving, please contact Stephanie Pilla, Associate Director of Leadership Giving & Strategic Engagements, at spilla@ecfs.org.

Loyal Oaks Society

When you support the Orange Fund for five or more consecutive years, you are inducted into the Loyal Oaks Society, a committed group of parents, alumni, grandparents, faculty, staff, and friends. We are deeply grateful for these philanthropic leaders whose steadfast support serves as the foundation for ECFS’s continued excellence. This year, 900 Loyal Oaks donors contributed $3,000,000+ to the Orange Fund. Learn more about the Loyal Oaks Society.

Giving to the Orange Fund

Gifts to the Orange Fund can be made any time during the school’s fiscal year, from July 1st through June 30th.

Participation is encouraged on #GivingTuesday in early December. #GivingTuesday is a global day of generosity. On #GivingTuesday, ECFS prioritizes raising money for Financial Aid.

To see the various ways a gift can be made, visit Ways to Give. If you are interested in volunteering, learn about the Orange Fund Volunteer Program.

Frequently Asked Questions

An annual fund is an initiative that raises money for a school's yearly operating budget. As with all independent schools, tuition alone does not cover the full cost of educating each student at ECFS. The gap between tuition and operating expenses is approximately $9,300 per student. The remaining costs are made up of income from our institutional investment portfolio and unrestricted donations to our annual fund, The Orange Fund. Philanthropic support is an important part of every independent not-for-profit school’s business plan. Your gifts to the Orange Fund reduce the gap per student and help ECFS meet our annual operating budget. Achieving our Orange Fund goal is essential.

We hope that families will make ECFS a philanthropic priority, and that alumni will recognize the importance that ECFS made on their lives and donate to provide a similar opportunity for those who follow. Strong financial support of the Orange Fund demonstrates your commitment to the School and your belief in our students and their bright futures. Each and every gift is important.

We ask every member of the ECFS community — current parents, grandparents, employees, parents of graduates, and alumni — to participate in the Orange Fund, including families who receive financial aid. Your contribution, at any level, strengthens our community and demonstrates your support of the ECFS mission and your investment in its future.

Yes! ECFS is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization under the Federal Internal Revenue Code. Unlike tuition fees, all contributions to the Orange Fund are deductible pursuant to the prevailing tax laws. All donors will receive a letter noting their gift amount, the date of their gift, and a disclosure that no goods or services were provided.

Absolutely! If you are interested in volunteering with the Orange Fund, see the Orange Fund Volunteer Program. If you are interested in getting involved with the P + T, please email pandt@ecfs.org.

Read through the Orange Fund FAQ, or email orangefund@ecfs.org.

Contact
orangefund@ecfs.org
ECFS Information
EIN/Tax ID Number
13-3862529
Mailing Address
Ethical Culture Fieldston School
Advancement Office
33 Central Park West
New York, NY 10023
Ethical Culture Fieldston School offers a world-class progressive education in Pre-K–12th Grade at two historic campuses in Manhattan and the Bronx. The core of our educational program is the study and practice of ethics, which prepares us — and compels us — to take care of our world, ourselves, and each other.
CFS is an equal opportunity employer. We seek to be a welcoming community of professionals that broadly reflects the people of the metropolitan New York City area, our students, and families. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion or religious practices, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship status, national origin, age, ability status, military status, unemployment status or any other category protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws. We are committed to hiring practices that ensure all candidates are given fair consideration in alignment with our institutional mission and goals.

Ethical Culture Fieldston School; ECFS; Fieldston; and the distinctive Starburst logo are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as trademarks of Ethical Culture Fieldston School.
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