Thank you for considering making PCA a priority for your giving and support!
Through your generosity, PCA is able to provide the best value in Christian private education in New England.
Your gifts of time, talent, and resources make an impact on every aspect of Portsmouth Christian Academy – academics, athletics, fine arts, and technology. Tuition covers only about 80% of the real cost of educating each student. Your support closes the gap, making it possible for us to hire the best teachers, and offer outstanding academic, athletic, fine arts, and spiritual programs that provide a well-rounded, balanced education, while keeping the cost down.
Your investment in PCA is an investment you can feel proud of and confident in…a dually accredited school that is the recipient of state and local recognitions. With more than 1,000 graduates and over a 40-year history, PCA hosts a successful annual audit of our financials that is approved by a financial auditor. PCA’s 990 is of public record with the State of New Hampshire.
How Can I Support PCA?
“Giving” at PCA can mean lots of things. Our families come from 55+ towns, represent 100+ churches, travel from 3 different states, and all come from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds. Many families give of their time and efforts through volunteering, and some give via financial contributions or in-kind donations. Fundamentally, you can support PCA through giving, volunteering, and praying.
How and When Can I Give Financially?
While our fiscal year runs from August 1 – July 31, financial gifts can be made at any time through our Eagle Fund or by any of the means listed below.
The Eagle Fund is PCA’s primary annual fundraising campaign. Your gift to the Eagle Fund is tax-deductible and will:
Additionally, we host two fun community events each year where giving is a focus: our Fall Gala and our Spring Annual Auction.
Make a one-time gift to Portsmouth Christian Academy using our online donation link or one of the methods listed below.
Don’t want to forget to donate? Reach out directly to the Advancement Team at 603.742.3617 to set-up recurring gifts to PCA.
Gifts of appreciated securities can provide you with an income tax charitable deduction and a capital gains tax savings. Notify your broker that you wish to make a gift of securities to PCA. After authorizing the transfer, instruct your broker to contact the Advancement Office. In order to credit your gift properly, we must know your name, the name of the stock, number of shares, and date of transfer. The gift is complete when the stock is transferred to the PCA account.
In-kind donations are tangible gifts of personal property, such as furnishings, books, musical instruments, and athletic equipment. Assets related to the educational mission of the Academy can be deducted for their full fair market value, which is determined by the donor unless we are provided with original receipts.
For information about Annual Auction donations, please contact Elizabeth Nanda.
Planned giving refers to charitable gifts that are arranged with forethought and executed over an extended period of time or at some point in the future. Planned gifts take various forms – including bequests, trusts, and annuities – and most importantly, support the long-term legacy of PCA.
Many companies support education by matching or multiplying their employee’s gifts. Check directly with your company’s Human Resources department to see if your employer has a matching gift program. Often, this benefit is extended to employee spouses and retirees as well. Many companies also offer a monetary matching gift for those employees who contribute to their communities through volunteer time.
Did you know that you can contribute to PCA’s fundraising goals through your everyday shopping? These programs do not require a cash contribution and require little effort on your part. You simply save the appropriate labels or identify yourself to a business using a PCA identification code. Each seemingly small purchase adds up in a big way to benefit a variety of PCA programs.
Shop Online:
1. Shop at Lands’ End School Uniforms to outfit your child in clothing that meets dress code. Our school receives a 3% rebate for orders placed with Lands’ End school catalog and online school store by using the Preferred school Number 900027376.
2. PCA also gets 5% on every order (before shipping) on the God’s Girls website with the coupon code “PCA” at checkout.
Collect Labels:
Scan Box Tops for Education from hundreds of participating products and send them to school – it’s that easy.
The Hannaford Helps Schools program raises money to benefit K-12 schools across New England. Look for shelf tags and online for over 1,500 participating products, collect your School Dollars from an associate at checkout (or on your receipt for Hannaford To Go orders) and drop your School Dollars in the Hannaford Helps Schools collection container in-store or bring them to PCA.
Save a step and some time and have your gift automatically deducted from your paycheck.
You can make your gift via: Online (Credit Card) | Donor-advised Funds | Stocks & Securities Transfer | Personal Check
How Can I Give My Time?
Connect with PCA’s Volunteer Coordinator to learn more about recurring and project-based volunteering to bless our students and our school. Examples of volunteer opportunities include Auction support, security, classroom projects, decorating for Christmas, driving the Eaglet busses, construction and so much more!
To become a volunteer at PCA, you’ll need to follow an easy 3-step process before being able to hop on a project:
- Fill out this Volunteer Survey
- Read our Volunteer Code Of Ethics
- Schedule a mandatory background check.
- To start the background check process, you will click the mandatory background check link above and choose “schedule a new appointment.” Here you will be able to schedule your fingerprinting at a location of your choosing but will need to pay for this online. Please make sure to indicate you wish to have your record results released to Portsmouth Christian Academy and share your appointment date with PCA so we know when we should receive for your results online.
ALL steps must be completed and PCA must be notified by the State of NH of your successful background check results PRIOR to performing any in-school or student-contact volunteer duties, including chaperoning field trips and assisting with classroom activities. The fingerprinting process can take up to 8 weeks to complete, so it is best to initiate well before volunteer opportunities arise.
Connect with PCA’s Volunteer Coordinator via email or phone at 603.742.3617 ext. 143 with any questions.
How Can I Pray?
We always appreciate prayers for our teachers and staff, students and their families, our school infrastructure and finances, and our leadership and Board of Directors. Pray for wisdom, health, and the Lord’s will.
Take a look at our prayer cards for the 2023-2024 period, highlighting specific areas within the PCA that need your prayers. These prayer cards include 31 prayers—one for each day of the month—to lend focus to 31 specific areas of our school. Jesus told His disciples that they should be persistent and specific when they pray. This prayer card will help you do just that as we come before the Throne together throughout the 2023-2024 school year.
You can also join our Moms in Prayer and our Fathers in Prayer groups to learn of specific prayer requests and to gather together as two or more in His name.
To learn more about supporting PCA, contact Director of Development, Elaina Russo, via email or phone at 603.742.3617 ext. 109.
Why does PCA need non-tuition income?
To continue to improve its quality, develop new opportunities and assist families with tuition assistance, non-tuition gift income is essential. By point of comparison, even with tax dollars, public schools are seeking donations and adding fundraisers. Charter schools (nonsectarian public schools of choice that operate with freedom from many regulations that apply to traditional public schools) are seeking donation dollars at almost the same rate as private schools.
Why do you ask for donations in addition to tuition?
Tuition and fees do not cover the true cost of a PCA education. Annual giving is vitally important as it helps close the gap between tuition and the real cost of educating a student at PCA.
Where do we get non-tuition income?
The primary way we build non-tuition income is through the gifts of donors. Whether gifts are large or small, they all contribute to affordable tuition for every student. We provide giving opportunities for everyone on our mailing list.
Why is it important to give to the Eagle Fund?
Your gift enables our students to reach their fullest potential academically, athletically, artistically and spiritually. Each gift made by our parents, alumni, grandparents and friends demonstrates their support and “vote of confidence” in the mission of PCA. Funds raised through annual giving are spent during the current fiscal year and afford annual relief to the operational budget. Gifts to the Eagle Fund are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law.
How much should I give?
Our prayer is that parents, grandparents, and alumni would consider giving to PCA as a priority. Every dollar that we raise through a donation helps to offset the costs of our school. No donation is too small; we truly appreciate every dollar donated to this school.
Is my gift tax deductible?
Yes, your personal cash donations are fully tax deductible.
Can I make a donation for something specific?
Yes. As an example, donations can be cited for Arts, Science, Athletics, etc. Those donations are considered restricted. That being said, please consider giving unrestricted gifts as a way of helping PCA to meet its most pressing needs first.
Can I pay my child’s tuition as a restricted donation and receive the tax benefit?
No. Tuition paid for one’s child is an expense and cannot be classified as a contribution.
Where should I send my gift?
Make your check payable to PCA and send to:
Portsmouth Christian Academy
Development Office
20 Seaborne Drive
Dover, NH 03820
What if I want to donate by credit card?
You may use our online donation form.
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