Rick Marting Financial Aid Endowment
Rick Marting, Founding Head, Explorer West
We want to thank all of the supporters of Explorer West Middle School who have made very generous gifts to help us do the work necessary to fulfill our mission. Your generosity has made it possible for us to enhance the school’s commitment to diversity and provide more kids the opportunity to attend Explorer West.
Each year about 40% of our families apply for financial aid. Although the school allocates close to 19% of our tuition revenue each year to financial aid, and makes awards to 25% - 32% of our families, many families are still turned away. Explorer West prides itself on offering more financial aid to families as a percent of tuition revenue than most other schools in the Northwest. However, this is still not enough to meet everyone’s needs.
To close the gap and better serve our students, in 2012 the Board of Trustees began the effort to establish and raise funds for the Rick Marting Financial Aid Endowment. In each year since 2014 an anonymous donor has offered to match up to $125,000 in contributions to the Endowment if those contributions are made between October 1st and June 1st .
We are proud that with the help of the parent community, our alumni, and friends of the school we have met the match challenge each year. In 2018-2019, that matching gift was doubled, so we raised $250,000 and received a matching gift of $250,000, bringing the endowment balance to over $2 million! Earnings on the Endowment are used to provide financial aid to our students. We made our first financial aid award from the Endowment in 2015 and have continued to make awards every year since then.
How can you help?
Every dollar donated to the Endowment is vital to the operation of the school and to its ability to offer financial aid to eligible families. The Endowment is permanent and is dedicated to providing financial aid. Your gift today will work indefinitely to provide opportunity to students in the years ahead.
For more information on Planned Gifts and the Explorer West Legacy Circle, please see the Planned Giving page.
Please consider making a current donation to the Rick Marting Financial Aid Endowment now, or in the future through a Planned Gift.