Cardinals Rising: A Donation Campaign for Annandale’s Future

Cardinals Rising: A Donation Campaign for Annandale’s Future

Goal: Together, reach $250,000 by February 1st, 2025 and $500,000 by May 1st, 2025!

Annandale has always been a place where heart and community come together to create something special. Now, more than ever, our public schools need your support to ensure every child in the Heart of the Lakes continues to have access to the quality education they deserve.

Important Note:

This campaign is organized by dedicated members of the Annandale Community, not the school district. While ISD 876 is the beneficiary of the donations, the school district is not officially running this fundraising effort.

Strong Schools Create a Strong Community

Public schools primarily rely on two revenue sources: state/federal funding and local property taxes. An operating levy allows voters to increase taxes to fund daily operational expenses such as curriculum, salaries, mental health resources, transportation, utilities, classroom supplies, athletics, clubs and more.

The recent November 2024 operating levy for Annandale Independent School District #876 did not pass. As a result, our school district is facing budget cuts of potentially up to $1.2 million that will directly impact students, teachers and programs.

We invite you to consider donating at least what you would have contributed if the operating levy had passed using this calculator (https://www.ehlers-inc.com/microsite/annandale2024/)

For example: If the operating levy had passed, a homeowner with a property valued at $350,000 would have paid approximately $24 per month, or $293 annually. This amount would have funded critical resources like teachers, technology, and mental health support for our students.

Together, we can help to bridge this gap and show how much we care about our schools and our community. This is vital to all who live in district 876 because schools are the heart of a community, especially one like Annandale.

This $500,000 campaign will alleviate budget cuts for the 2025-2026 school year. While this is not a long-term solution, it is a vital step. Ultimately the long-term solution is passing an operating levy that brings us to funding levels comparable to other Minnesota school districts. Learn more about the operating levy on the school district website (https://www.isd876.org/domain/1602).

How You Can Give

Donations are tax-deductible, and ISD 876 will provide receipts for all contributions for your tax purposes

We’ve made it easy for you to support our schools!

1. In-Person Donations: Drop off checks or cash at:

2. Mail-In Donations: Send checks to the Annandale District Office

3. Bank Online Payments: Use your bank’s bill-pay feature, listing ISD 876 as the Payee

4. GoFundMe (Online Giving): Donate here on this GoFundMe page. Note: GoFundMe charges a 2.9% processing fee.

5. Employer Matching: Double your impact through donation-matching programs (details below).

6. Spread the Word: Encourage your family, friends, and neighbors to give. Every dollar counts!

Make Checks Payable to: “ISD 876”

Memo Line: “Cardinals Rising”

Include a note if you wish to direct funds to a specific program/area.

You will get a receipt for tax purposes from ISD 876.

Where Your Donations Go

Your donations will support the school district’s operating budget, directly reducing the impact of budget cuts for the 2025-2026 school year. Donations can be allocated to the general fund or specific programs, just keep in mind this doesn’t guarantee a specific position/program won’t be cut if partial funding is received. If you are donating to save a specific position/program and not enough money is raised for that position/program, the money will be used to offset overall reductions. The district wants to honor your specific wishes with your donation as best as possible.

You may listen to the recent work sessions regarding the potential cuts on the Annandale Activities You Tube Channel and you may view a list of the potential cuts in the graphic below or with this URL: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1H-IrEAiDfC2VSHmCCIlP--anP-Pcn5ku/view?usp=drive_link

Your donations are not only supporting our students and programs, but they are also tax-deductible! ISD 876 will provide a receipt for your donation for tax purposes, allowing you to maximize the benefits of your contribution.

Here’s how your support makes a difference:

1. Maintaining Appropriate Class Sizes: Smaller class sizes allow for more personalized attention and help attract families to our district.

2. Maintaining Extracurricular Programs: Sports, activities, arts, and clubs keep kids engaged and develop important life skills and areas of development including social and emotional wellbeing, academic performance, sense of community confidence and health.

3. Keeping Classroom Aides: Classroom aides and paraprofessionals are essential for supporting teachers and helping all students succeed.

4. Technology and Learning Materials: Providing updated resources ensures all students are equipped to learn effectively.

5. Counseling and Support Services: Supporting students’ mental health and emotional well-being is more important than ever.

6. Robotics Program: Robotics is an activity where students learn to design, build, and program robots, applying concepts from STEM fields like engineering, computer science, and mechanics.

Note: Donations for educator positions support the role, not the individual hired.

Recognition for Your Donation

All donors will be recognized by ISD 876, on the Campaign Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569801571756 and the Campaign Podcast unless you opt to give anonymously.

Recognition Levels:

Consider making a recurring gift or a one-time donation. Every amount, large or small, matters!

Double Your Impact with Matching Funds

Many employers offer matching gift programs, doubling (or tripling) the value of your donation.

Examples of companies with matching programs:

Medtronic: Matches up to $5,000 annually

Target: Matches up to $2,000 annually

US Bank: Matches up to $3,000 annually

3M, Wells Fargo, General Mills: Match up to $10,000 annually

Cargill: Matches donations 2:1 (up to $10,000)

Check with your employer’s HR department for eligibility. Need assistance? Click the "Contact" button.

Show Your Heart in the Heart of the Lakes

This is our chance to come together and make a real difference for Annandale’s students, teachers, and families. Every contribution– Whether in-person, by mail, online or through matching funds– brings us closer to our goal.

Let’s ensure Annandale schools remain a beacon of opportunity and excellence.

Strong Schools, Strong Community.

Donate today and be a part of something bigger.

If you have any questions about the campaign, feel free to reach out! You can click the CONTACT button or go over to the Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/cardinalsrising

Hannah Fischer

Emily Combs

Alyssa Domagala

Jessica Bruggeman

Crystal Nutt