WAYS TO GIVE
Your donation, event support, and volunteer work are vital to our mission.
Investing in the Aledo ISD Education Foundation enhances the opportunities to fund programs that will directly benefit teaching and the educational environment at Aledo ISD. Your involvement and support will allow stronger community awareness.
Aledo Education Foundation is a qualified 501(c)3 tax exempt organization and donations to the Foundation are tax deductible. Your contribution will support efforts to enrich, enhance and maximize educational opportunities for all students. Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated. There are a variety of ways to contribute including individual or business gifts, in-kind gifts, honorary or memorial gifts. The Foundation can accept funds of cash, securities, real estate and planned giving. Many employers also match donations to the Foundation.
A FEW WAYS YOU CAN GIVE TODAY!
One-Time Donation
Make a one-time gift to fund programs that will directly benefit teachers and students of Aledo ISD.
Monthly Installments
Consider making a bigger impact that will last all year. Every month, you’ll know that you are supporting the high-quality education you’ve always wanted for your kids, neighbors, and community at a giving level that best fits your budget.
Restricted Gifts
Have a special project in mind? Want to designate a recipient school or special program? Give a gift to AEF that will be put right into your specified designation and cannot be used otherwise.
Matching Gifts
A matching gift is when a person donates to a non-profit organization and their employer/company donates an equal or greater amount to the same non-profit. This can be a great way for you to double or triple your initial donation at no additional cost. You and your employer's generosity can help the Aledo Education Foundation enrich our children's education. Ask your employer about your options for this Giving season.
Want to leave a legacy gift?
Please consult with a knowledgeable and trusted financial adviser and your family prior to making any financial decision.
OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP
Charitable Lead Annuity Trust
Do you want to benefit from the tax savings that result from supporting the Aledo Education Foundation, but you don’t want to give up your assets that you’d like your family to receive someday? You can have it both ways with a charitable lead trust. A charitable lead annuity trust pays a fixed amount each year to the Aledo Education Foundation and is more attractive when interest rates are low. A charitable lead unitrust pays a variable amount each year based on the value of the assets in the trust. With a unitrust, if the trust’s assets increase in value, the payments to the Education Foundation also increase.
Charitable Remainder Trust
A Charitable Remainder Trust is also known as a CRT, is an irrevocable trust allowing the donors to convert highly appreciated assets into a lifetime income stream for them, their spouse, or another family member, without generating estate and capital gains taxes. The law stipulates the payout must be at least 5% of the value of the underlying trust assets, and the payout is usually in the 5-7% range, depending on the ages of the income recipients. When the trust ends, the remaining assets pass to the Aledo ISD Education Foundation to support the programs specified by the donor.
Appreciated Property
If you are interested in giving an immediate gift to the Aledo ISD Education Foundation, there are options available besides a cash gift. If you have appreciated assets, such as securities or real estate, you can give those and receive an income tax deduction for the fair market value. You will avoid paying any capital gains tax and the Foundation will not pay any capital gains tax.
Life Insurance
Life insurance policies are a common tool used in planning for the future. Designating the Aledo ISD Education Foundation as a beneficiary under a life insurance policy is a great way to reduce your estate tax liability and make a meaningful gift. Texas allows a charity to own a donor’s life insurance policy. You can make a gift of an existing policy to the Aledo ISD Education Foundation or purchase a new policy with the Education Foundation as the owner and receive a current charitable deduction.
Retirement Plans
Simply name the Aledo ISD Education Foundation as a beneficiary to your 401(k), IRA, other retirement accounts. You avoid both income and estate tax on the remainder of your retirement accounts.
Bequests
A bequest to the Aledo ISD Education Foundation will pass with the remainder of your estate. This planned gift has no effect on your current financial picture. If you find your circumstances change and a bequest to the Education Foundation is no longer in your best interest, then you simply change or remove the bequest in your will at any time. You maintain title and control over all your assets during your lifetime.
To speak to one of our Executive Director regarding planned giving, please email Valerie@aledoef.org for more information.
EMPLOYEE CRISIS FUND
The Employee Crisis Fund provides a source of financial assistance to Aledo Independent School District employees who are facing an emergency and are unable to handle immediate short-term financial obligations associated with a crisis.
The Crisis Fund is available for an unforeseen event that occurs and creates a short-term financial hardship that has caused an employee to fall behind with financial obligations.
Such unforeseen events include but are not limited to
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Mortgage or rent payment
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Utilities such as water, gas, and/or electric
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Medical
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Special requests deemed appropriate by the committee
The Crisis Fund is funded by the Aledo Education Foundation. Together with support from Reading Friends of Aledo, we have been able to aid AISD employees in their greatest hour of need.
Providing funding to fill the gaps in public education is needed now more than ever. In the last 10 years we have raised more than $3.2 million for teachers and students of AISD. For the 2022-2023 school year, AEF awarded almost $255,000 to AISD, $74,000 in fast cash/teacher grants, provided another $75,000 in individual gift cards to ALL teachers in AISD, supported $34,000 in Bearcat Backers, and raised $21,000 for the CTE/CNA programs. Our grants and funding provide additional resources for our teachers and students and an opportunity for our community to engage in a meaningful way, to Empower Our Future by Strengthening Education.