Why give?
“There is no development tool more effective than the education of girls”
– Kofi Annan, secretary-general of the United Nations, 1997-2006
There are many reasons to donate to the St Mary’s Foundation. Here are a few.
A beacon in girls’ education
Many generous donors have over the years contributed to the well-being of St Mary’s by supporting various fundraising initiatives for facilities, and by supporting teachers and pupils. It is thanks to them that St Mary’s remains a beacon in girls’ education.
Tax-efficient giving
In terms of Section 18A of the Income Tax Act, donations to approved public benefit organisations (such as the St Mary’s Foundation) in South Africa are, subject to certain limits, tax-deductible by the donor where the donor is a South African income tax resident. Donors may claim up to 10% of their taxable income.
Your donation to the St Mary’s Foundation will, in addition to being an investment in the future of young women in South Africa, provide tax relief to you, the donor.
UK-based and US-based donors can also enjoy tax relief by making donations via the UK Fund for Charities or the American Fund for Charities websites, respectively.
Leaving a legacy
Currently, estate duty is levied at a rate of 20% on assets exceeding R3.5-million in the estate at the time of the donor’s death. One way to avoid paying estate duty is by leaving a legacy to an institution such as St Mary’s School. Charitable legacies of this nature are deducted from the value of the estate before duty is calculated.
It is best to consult with your attorney for advice if you plan to make a charitable gift to St Mary’s in terms of a will.
Should you have any queries or wish to discuss leaving a legacy further, email Lisa Grobbelaar, head of the Foundation, at foundation@stmary.co.za to make an appointment.
Corporate contribution
A contribution to the Foundation allows companies to potentially score maximum points for skills development and socio-economic development on their B-BBEE scorecard. For further details, please email: foundation@stmary.co.za.
Our generous donors
The St Mary’s community, corporates and education trusts have partnered with the school and the Foundation for many years.
Their financial and other contributions have made many initiatives possible for the school: more than 50 girls have been assisted through high school at St Mary’s through the bursary programme. Numerous pupils have improved their academic results through our Saturday school, Ikusasa Lethu. Aspiring teachers have realised their dreams of being teachers.
St Mary’s School implemented a development levy in 2000, which builds a reserve of funds for school projects of a capital nature. Since then, the levy and various donations from generous donors have funded, among other ventures, the following major building projects at the school:
The AstroTurf
The Desmond Tutu Science Block
The Junior School Clare Rossouw Media Centre
Boarding facilities
The Aquatics Centre
The school’s state-of-the-art centre for the arts, The Edge
The Health Centre building
The multi-purpose facility for sport