Ways to Give

Give now to make an immediate payment by credit card or e-check.

Westmark pays processing fees on each online transaction. Fees are much lower for e-check payments (75¢) than for credit card payments (approximately 3.0% of the total). If you can, please help lower our fees and maximize the impact of your gift by paying by e-check.

Paper checks should be made payable to "Westmark School." On the memo line, please indicate the purpose of your gift (e.g., "Westmark Fund") to ensure that it is recorded properly by our Business Office. Please mail or deliver your check to the campus:

Westmark School
Attn: Advancement Office
5461 Louise Avenue
Encino, CA 91316

A pledge is simply a promise to make a donation at a later date. The gift can be made by any of the methods below except donor-advised funds (DAFs).* Properly submitted pledges are counted immediately toward participation in the Westmark Fund or any other campaign.

Make a pledge now to pay a donation to the Westmark Fund at a later date. Pledges to the Westmark Fund for a given school year must be paid before June 30 of that year.

To pledge for a different purpose, please contact the Advancement Office. Verbal pledges cannot be accepted or recorded.

Directing a gift through a donor-advised fund (DAF) is relatively simple with most providers:​

1. When specifying the organization, please make sure you've selected LEARNING WITH A DIFFERENCE INC. DBA WESTMARK SCHOOL with the tax identification number 95-4616645.
    
2. Please request that your institution mail the check to the following address:
   
   Westmark School
   Attn: Advancement Office
   5461 Louise Avenue
   Encino, CA 91316
   
   If the fund requires a name to whom the letter is addressed, please use "Claudia Koochek, Head of School."
    
3. When asked to designate a purpose for the funds, please be specific (e.g., “Westmark Fund” or “Spring Gala”). Alternatively, you can choose the “where needed most” default option with most funds; Westmark’s policy is to apply gifts with that designation to the Westmark Fund.
    
4. Once you've recommended the gift to your institution, please notify the Advancement Office of the details. If possible, please also provide the receipt or confirmation; while not required, this helps ensure gifts are properly documented when received.

If there are any issues—or if your donor-advised fund needs any documentation from the School—please email the Advancement Office with the specifics of what they need, and we'll make sure everything is set from there.

If you need the instructions for sending a wire transfer in US dollars, please contact the Advancement Office.

Donating gifts of appreciated securities like stocks that have been held for more than twelve months can be advantageous for many donors.

These gifts represent a two-fold savings opportunity: donors avoid paying capital gains taxes on the increased values of their stocks and receive a tax deduction for the full market value of the stock on the date of the gift.

View Gifts of Appreciated Securities for detailed instructions. 

Planned gifts are made now and distributed in the future. You can name Westmark School as a beneficiary of your will, trust, IRA or retirement plan, life insurance policy, or financial account, or fund a charitable gift annuity or trust that may provide you with tax benefits and income.

Naming Westmark School in an estate plan provides for our long-term fiscal health and gives donors the opportunity to receive immediate or deferred tax benefits while leaving a legacy.

Consult our Planned Giving Guide, then complete and submit the Planned Giving Notification Form.

DOWNLOAD PLANNED GIVING NOTIFICATION FORM

An endowment (invested reserves) is a fund that is invested and maintained in perpetuity. Each year, a percentage of the annual income—dividends, interest, and capital appreciation—is distributed to support the specific purpose designated by the donor (e.g., financial aid, service learning, or faculty professional development). The remaining income is added to the endowment principal to help preserve the purchasing power of the endowment over time. Endowments provide a stable income for the school and foster academic excellence. 

You can help to establish an endowment with a gift of $100,000 or more. Endowed funds can be named in honor of or in tribute to an individual. Donors build strong ties with the School, receive annual reports on the impact of their endowments, and are invited to attend special functions.

Contact the Advancement Office to discuss making a gift to the endowment.