Fundraising is essential to the radical transformation taking place in our school. Staying safe during the pandemic has demanded that we renovate our buildings, improve air quality, redesign the classroom experience, adapt how we teach, and prioritize health-safety and social emotional learning so that trust, compassion, and mutual respect set the stage for innovative and equitable education opportunities.
There are multiple ways to support the School:
Online Giving
To make an immediate impact, please click the Donate Now button on the right to make your gift online. If you’re able to contribute on a monthly or quarterly basis, please select the recurring gift option. Your donation will support new books and technology, free breakfast and lunch for students’ whose families cannot afford to pay their child’s meal balances, and the necessary supplies and equipment for students and their teachers to safely engage in learning, from home, at school or a combination of both.
Write a Check
By making your gift to the Paul Cuffee Fund you’re supporting teaching innovation, hands-on learning opportunities, and K-12 enrichment programs that are not reimbursed by the state or city government. Please make your check payable to the Paul Cuffee Fund so that your donation can be used where it will benefit our students the most. Mail your gift to:
Donor Advised Funds
You can establish a charitable gift fund with your investment company, or at the Rhode Island Foundation or the United Way’s community foundation to ensure that the causes you care about, like Paul Cuffee School, will continue to receive your support for years to come. Donor Advised Funds also provide an excellent opportunity to honor the memory of a loved one by supporting the organization that was dear to their heart.
To designate Paul Cuffee School as your charity of choice requires that you contact your investment company’s advisor directly and request that your tax-deductible gift be wired or mailed to the school. These funds help support current projects and special programs that directly impact teaching and learning.
Other Ways to Give
Gifts to Endowments
Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, Paul Cuffee School has established two endowed funds at the Rhode Island Foundation. Donations to the David C. Burnham Maritime Fund tie the legacy of our beloved founding Board President to the marine-themed curriculum, grade level projects, and outdoor education opportunities that our students eagerly anticipate. Your gifts make it possible for Paul Cuffee students to benefit from educational enrichment programs like those offered at Mystic’s Seaport, Herreshoff Marine Museum, Save the Bay, Providence Community Boating and the New Bedford Whaling Museum as they advance through the grades.
Your gifts to the Rosalind C. Wiggins Fund will help grow collections of books by and about African Americans at our elementary, middle and high school buildings every year. Should the Fund reach its next fundraising milestone of $100,000, our students will be able to enjoy new digital media, class sets of books for book discussions, and virtual guest speakers, authors, or artists. Your gifts will help our students see themselves reflected in the academic curriculum and continue to learn about the contributions and history of black Americans all year round.
Tribute Gifts
Donations to honor your child’s teacher, celebrate a special occasion, or in remembrance of a loved one can be made by check or online through the “Donate Now” button on this website. Scroll down to include the name of the person you wish to honor with your gift.
DonorsChoose.org
Please visit Donors Choose and search for Paul Cuffee School to find out what teachers and staff have identified as an immediate need for their students. Donate an amount you can afford, and encourage others to join you, to help a Paul Cuffee teacher’s creative initiatives come to fruition.
Workplace Giving
Please designate Paul Cuffee School as your charity of choice when participating in your employer’s workplace giving campaigns including United Way, dress down days, and other donor designated community service efforts. The campaign administrator will send your tax-deductible donation directly to Paul Cuffee School by the end of their campaign, and you will receive your charitable gift tax credit through your company’s payroll deduction process.
Matching Gifts
Many employers have a policy to make a gift equal or greater to your charitable donation – effectively doubling your contributions to Paul Cuffee School! Contact your company’s Human Resources Department to find out if your employer offers this benefit and request a matching gift confirmation form to enclose with your donation to the School.
Gifts of Stock
If you own shares of stock, you can reap significant tax benefits when you give appreciated securities rather than cash to Paul Cuffee School. With a gift of stock, you can take a tax deduction for the full market value of the stock and avoid capital gains tax on the stock’s unrealized appreciation. Please have your broker contact the Paul Cuffee School Development Office for stock transfer instructions: 401-601-6290.
Planned Gifts
Many people think they don’t have enough money to make a difference right now. While Paul Cuffee School depends on gifts of all sizes to achieve its annual fundraising goals, you can make an even greater impact in the future by designating Paul Cuffee School as a partial or full beneficiary of your life insurance policy, retirement plan, or your estate plan. Contact your estate planning attorney to find out how easy it is to add Paul Cuffee School to any of these policies or to name the School in your will. And please let the School’s Development Director know that you have done this, so we can thank you for your generosity.
Sponsorships
Paul Cuffee School teachers have many special projects and new programs that need community investment. We’re also planning our 20th anniversary and seeking corporate sponsorships. If your company has an advertising budget and can afford to sponsor a special event or initiative such as new backpacks for first-time kindergartners, pedometers for encouraging physical fitness, honoraria for a guest artist, funding for a grade level book club, or our new Mentorship at Cuffee program, please consider making an in-kind donation or a cash contribution to help the school continue the innovative opportunities that keep our students engaged.
Give When You Shop
Paul Cuffee School has formed several partnerships that let you direct funding to our great programs while you shop.
ShopRaise
ShopRaise is an innovative app that makes it possible to turn your online shopping at over 1,000 participating retailers into support for our school. From gift cards and groceries to apparel and travel – when using your ShopRaise app a percentage of almost everything you buy can support worthy charitable causes like our K-12 enrichment programs. Another benefit to you is that the Shopraise app is free and provides access to the best coupons and discounts. Download the ShopRaise app on all of your devices, use the tools in the mobile app to share it with family and friend,s and shop online to support and help us reach our fundraising goals.
Box Tops for Education
You can find Box Tops for Education tags on hundreds of grocery store products. Just download the Box Tops app on your phone, shop as you normally would, then use the app to scan your store receipt within 14 days of your purchase. The app will identify Box Tops products on your receipt and automatically credit our school’s earnings online. Twice a year, our school will receive a check and can use that cash to celebrate our students’ achievements or to buy whatever is most needed. Every Box Top is worth 10¢ for PCS, so funds can add up quickly. See www.boxtops4education.com for more information.
Stop and Shop Community Bag
The Stop & Shop Community Bag is a durable, reusable shopping tote that makes it easy for you to contribute to Paul Cuffee School. Every time you purchase one of these specially designed bags, Stop & Shop will donate $1 to our School. All you have to do is purchase the $2.50 Community Bag at any Stop & Shop and follow the instructions on the attached Giving Tag within 7 days of purchase. Visit MyStopandShopCause.com to direct the $1 donation to Paul Cuffee School anytime throughout the year.
To find out more about how you can make a difference at Paul Cuffee School – please email development@