More than 3,500 Taft alumni, parents, families and friends from 46 countries, 48 states, and the District of Columbia came together during fiscal year 2022-23 to make it a banner year for the Taft Fund. Essential to the delivery of every aspect of a Taft School education and experience, the Taft Fund helps close the nearly $30,000 gap between tuition revenue and the actual cost of educating each Taft student. It allows us to continually deliver advanced, innovative, and ever-evolving academic programs; to attract and retain exceptional faculty; to support extraordinary opportunities in athletics and the arts; and to build and support community on one of the most beautiful independent school campuses anywhere.

Alumni participation increased to 36% this year, snapping a four-year downward trend and adding $2,373,012 to the $5,422,707 giving total. Taft Fund Co-Chairs Tamara Sinclair ’05 and Charlie Watson ’88, P’21,’24,’26 rallied 556 alumni class agents during the year-long initiative, which included the best Day of Giving campaign to date (874 donors gave a total of $813,599 on April 4), and a win for Taft in the annual November Young Alumni Participation Challenge, besting Hotchkiss with 21% participation.  

Parents’ Fund Co-Chairs Jane and Chris Hentemann, P’19,’21,’24 , with the support of 58 Parents’ Committee families, led the current parent charge, ensuring that 30+-year participation streak of 90% or more remained unbroken. Their efforts also added $2,585,031 to the 2022-23 Fund total. Grandparent Chair Linda Stroh GP’23 and Former Parent Chair Leslie Herrlinger Lanahan ’73, P’08 helped guide grandparents, former parents, and Taft friends toward an additional $464,664 in total gifts to the school. 

With Taft's operating budget wholly dependent on tuition and philanthropic investment, Taft Fund participation is vital to our school. The combined leadership of our volunteers and generosity of our donors continue to make a significant difference in the lives of Taft's students, faculty, and community. And for that, we extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who supported the Taft Fund this year.