Sidwell Friends School announced the successful completion of Together We Shine in 2024. Why have you extended it?
The initial phase of our campaign began in July 2015 and much has changed since then. We launched the campaign’s public phase, and gave it a name–Together We Shine–in October 2022, with a goal of $152 million that we hoped to raise by June 30, 2024. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we exceeded the goal and raised $159 million.Those funds made possible a host of new initiatives, bolstered our financial aid funding, grew our endowment, supported faculty salaries, and are making possible the renovation of the former nursing home on Upton Street into a modern and environmentally sustainable new Upper School that will open in September 2026. But we knew even then that there would be a culminating phase to come–one that would continue to strengthen our endowment, sustain our commitment to students and faculty, and–most notably–allow us to reunify our campus by transforming the Earl J. Harrison Jr. building into a new Lower School that we hope to open in the fall of 2028.
How much are you hoping to raise in this final phase?
Our goal for this culminating phase is $61 million, bringing the cumulative campaign goal to $220 million. In the campaign’s culminating phase, our focus will remain on strengthening the endowment, increasing resources for financial aid and faculty support, and reunifying the three divisions on the Washington campus.
How much have you raised?
As of mid-October, 2025, we have raised nearly $190 million toward our $220 million goal.
Who is being asked to participate in the campaign?
Everyone will be invited to support this historic effort! All parents, grandparents, alumni, parents of alumni, trustees, faculty, staff, and friends will be asked to consider supporting this important work.
Will my gift make a difference?
Every gift is important! It will take every single gift to make this vision a reality. Not only will your gift help make this campaign possible, your gift, no matter the amount, will show our community that we are invested in the School. Full participation sends a powerful message and demonstrates our belief in Sidwell Friends. Please participate at a level that is meaningful to you and your family.
How should I give?
We encourage the community to make multi-year gifts that enable us to anticipate revenue and fundraising needs. Pledges and intentions are commitments with payments made annually. We will recognize your generosity at the full face value of the pledge in the fiscal year in which it is made. The typical pledge period is five years, although each donor can choose a pledge period and payment schedule that is convenient for them. Sidwell Friends is eager to partner with all donors to make the most impactful gift possible. Please contact a member of the Advancement Team to discuss options.
I already support The Sidwell Friends Fund. Is that included in this campaign?
Thank you! Yes, this campaign is comprehensive, meaning that any gifts made to any fund between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2027 will be counted in the campaign total. The Sidwell Friends Fund provides immediate and flexible support for the School’s highest priorities, including financial aid, professional development, and student experiences. We have many donors who generously give to multiple funds.
Is my gift tax-deductible?
All gifts to the campaign are fully tax-deductible as allowable by the law.
Are there naming opportunities?
Yes! There are myriad opportunities including: endowed funds, physical spaces in the future Upper School and future Lower School. Please contact a member of the Advancement Team to learn more.
Can I make a planned gift in support of the campaign?
Planned gifts are an incredible way to leave a lasting legacy at Sidwell Friends School. Bequests, charitable trusts, gift annuities, and other planned giving arrangements bolster the School’s financial sustainability. We recognize individuals who include the School in their estate planning as members of our Thomas and Frances Sidwell Society. For more information, please contact Megan Dom Lynch, planned and major gifts officer, at lynchm@sidwell.edu or (202) 537-8148.
How can I help? I heard my peers are serving on a committee and I would like to join, too.
We would love your help! Please reach out to Amanda Meter, senior director of individual giving, at metera@sidwell.edu to learn more about the various committees that support our work including the Together We Shine Campaign Volunteer Committee, The Sidwell Friends Fund Leadership Committees, and the Grandparents Committee.
When will the campuses be reunified?
The new Upper School will open in September 2026 and we anticipate breaking ground on the new Lower School shortly thereafter, with a hoped-for opening in September 2028, contingent upon fundraising.
Why do we need to reunify the three divisions on one campus?
The Lower School moved to Bethesda in 1963 due to space constraints on the Washington, DC campus. In reunifying, we will honor the original vision of Thomas Sidwell: a community with students of all ages on one campus. In this way they can learn with and from each other, build and strengthen their relationships, and create greater common purpose.
Having our entire community in one location will also foster cross-divisional collaboration for faculty and staff. They will all have equal access to resources including the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Center for Ethical Leadership. Learn more about these all-community resources, below.
Maintaining two campuses is also costly. The School estimates that a unified campus would create as much as $1.3 million in efficiencies on an annual basis, creating the possibility of reallocating these resources to financial aid and faculty salaries.
What are the environmental and wellness benefits of reunification?
The School will better steward its acreage with an emphasis on stormwater management, native plantings, and plentiful green space. The renovated buildings will be updated using sustainable techniques, utilizing reclaimed and locally sourced materials wherever possible. We will convert the campus to geothermal heating and cooling, incorporate solar renewable components, and establish green roofs and stormwater management systems. The architecture incorporates best principles from third party sustainability rating systems including LEED for Schools and The WELL Building Standard. Ratings will be determined by various factors such as indoor air quality, amount of natural light, and the use of nontoxic materials. We aim to achieve at least Gold certifications. These standards support overall health and wellness while reducing our impact on the environment.
How much of the current structure will be retained?
Approximately 60%. The current building has limited outdoor space, limited natural light, and the spaces are not suited to younger students. Converting the Upton Building into the future Upper School required less modification than this project will require. Thoughtful repositioning of the extant structure will create multiple sheltered green spaces and enable us to build the rooms specifically for the needs of our youngest learners. Expanded common areas will foster connection and socialization. Spaces will be suitable for innovative teaching methods. The scale of demolition enables us to fulfill these needs while minimizing the environmental impact of the project.
What is special about the design?
We have incorporated principles of biophilic design which emphasizes bringing nature into the built environment. All classrooms in the future Lower School will have plentiful natural light and visual connectivity with the outdoors. This architectural approach has been proven to reduce anxiety and stress. The building will embody our commitment to students’ mental health and wellbeing in all senses.
Have an architect and contractor been selected?
Yes. Perkins Eastman has been retained to complete all architectural renderings, design development, and construction drawings. MCN Build is our general contractor. Both have extensive experience with the specific design needs of PK-12 schools.
A healthy, growing endowment is critical to securing the financial sustainability of Sidwell Friends School. Endowment makes permanent the values of our community and provides the foundation for an educational institution’s financial health, enabling it to weather market volatility, curb tuition increases, and support programmatic growth.
What is the current value of the endowment?
The endowment was valued at $91,108,832 on June 30, 2025. The value of the endowment has increased by 71 percent since the start of Together We Shine. While this is excellent growth, our endowment is still undersized relative to our peer schools.
Who manages the Sidwell Friends endowment and how are investment decisions made?
The Board of Trustees Investment Committee oversees the management of the endowment, establishing appropriate investment strategies and allocations, and reviewing performance with the assistance of an independent investment firm that specializes in non-profit endowment and private wealth management. The Investment Committee, composed of trustees and non-trustee members with extensive expertise in the investment and banking industries, makes recommendations regarding the investment policy to the full Board, which has fiduciary responsibility for the endowment.
How does the endowment serve the School?
The School is dependent on tuition for approximately 76 percent of operating revenues (net of financial aid). Endowment income provides 4 percent of total operating revenues. Without further investment in the endowment, we are heavily reliant on tuition to fund student financial aid and faculty salaries, making us vulnerable to market volatility and limiting what we can provide each year.
Is it possible to honor an individual with a named endowed gift?
Yes, this is a wonderful way to honor the memory of a loved one. Gifts of $50,000 or more can establish a named endowed fund for an unrestricted purpose. Gifts of $100,000 or more can establish a named endowed fund for a specific purpose. Gifts of any amount can be directed to the general endowment or to the George Fox Scholarship Fund. Established with an anonymous donation, the George Fox Scholarship provides critical funding for students in need of financial assistance to attend Sidwell Friends School. An endowed gift of $1.5 million would help provide a full-tuition and expenses scholarship annually for 1 student, equivalent to $67,500, into perpetuity. Named and endowed scholarships may be established with a gift of $100,000 and named Term Funds for current use for financial aid may be established with a gift of $50,000 per year for a minimum of four years. Please contact a member of the Advancement Team to learn more.
What is The Sidwell Friends Fund?
The Sidwell Friends Fund is the name of the School’s annual fund. Every dollar raised is used to support the School’s highest priorities, including:
Who will be asked to support The Sidwell Friends Fund?
Everyone is invited to support The Sidwell Friends Fund and every gift to the Fund is meaningful. In addition, participation inspires others to join in our fundraising efforts.
Why is the Fund a part of this campaign?
This campaign is comprehensive and includes all gifts to the School made or pledged throughout the duration of the campaign, from July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2027.
