Children laugh and run across bright green turf while parents and a teacher cheer under an oak tree

Where Your Gift Goes

Every dollar you give to the Centennial Montessori Children's Fund has one job: enriching the education of the children at Centennial Montessori.

Give today How a grant is decided

Thank you. Because families, friends, and companies like yours give, our students get more than the classroom alone can offer.

5places your gift can go, named in our bylaws
20points every grant request is scored on
3board votes, at least, to approve any grant
2campuses with new turf, paid for entirely by CMCF
0dollars of your gift toward rent, payroll, or upkeep

Five Places Your Gift Can Go

Our bylaws name the only areas we fund. Every grant has to fit one of them, and it has to be something the school isn't already expected to provide.

Two children work with Montessori golden beads and the pink tower on a classroom rug as their teacher looks on — Classroom Enhancements
Books, technology, and educational materials that enhance the learning environment, beyond what the school already provides.

A music teacher leads laughing children on drums, shakers and a xylophone under an oak tree — Curriculum Enrichment
Outside specialists, enrichment programs, and activities, like guest artists and science instruction.

A girl studies a ladybug through a magnifying glass while a boy waters a raised garden bed — Facility Improvements
Safety upgrades, playground equipment, and site enhancements that directly benefit students.

A smiling boy holds his mother’s hand and waves to his teacher, who kneels to greet him at the classroom door — Need-Based Financial Aid
Educational scholarships for students whose families demonstrate financial need.

Student Welfare

Other charitable activities that promote the health, welfare, and education of our students, like student-facing safety equipment or school-wide educational software.

From our bylaws, Article II, Section 2.01. Read our full purpose

What Your Gift Will Never Pay For

Centennial Montessori is a private school. Its everyday costs come out of its own budget, paid by tuition. Your gift is added on top of that budget, never used in place of it.

Any benefit to the school has to be incidental to the benefit to children. When a request comes close to that line, the applicant explains in writing how it serves students, and the board weighs that before voting.

What your gift adds

Classroom enhancements
Curriculum enrichment
Facility improvements
Need-based financial aid
Anything else that helps students learn or stay safe

Underneath: the school’s own budget, paid by tuition

Rent, insurance, utilities, and administration
Staff payroll and routine training
Maintenance and routine repairs
Standard supplies the school already provides
Property improvements that don’t serve students

How a Gift Becomes a Grant

No single person decides where your gift goes. Every request takes the same path.

1
You give
Online, through the Annual Pledge, or with an employer match.
2
CMCF holds it
In the Fund’s own accounts, separate from the school’s.
3
An idea takes shape
A Guide, parent, or specialist proposes a project, together with the classroom Guide.
4
A plan and budget
Who benefits, how, and an itemized list of every cost.
5
Scored out of 20
Montessori fit, benefit to students, our rules, and the plan.
6
The board votes
At least three board members must vote yes.
7
Children benefit
The project happens, and receipts come back to the board.

The 20-point review

Each request is scored on four questions, five points each. A request that scores under 15, or under 4 on following our rules, needs a written explanation before the board votes.

Fits Montessori learning5 pointsBenefits students directly5 pointsFollows our nonprofit rules5 pointsClear plan and budget5 points

See our full grant guidelines

A teacher reads a picture book to preschoolers sitting on green turf in the shade of an oak

Recently funded

New Turf on Both Campuses

CMCF paid for new artificial turf across both campuses. Funded entirely by your gifts, it gives children a safe and welcoming place to learn outdoors.