Gifts from alumni, parents and friends support Western Reserve Academy of today while ensuring the school’s place in the world and leaving a lasting legacy for future generations.
Information on The WRA Fund (our annual giving program), gift planning and bequests, as well as methods of establishing endowed funds, can all be found here. If you are a graduate, we hope you will take full advantage of our resources.
Whether you are attending a regional event, returning to campus for Reunion Weekend, or sharing your latest news with us, the Advancement Office is committed to supporting the more than 5,000 WRA alumni across the nation and throughout the world. If you are a parent, or prospective parent, the information contained here will demonstrate how your child's experience at WRA will be supported by the gifts of past parents and alumni, people who care deeply for the school and are committed to preserving its distinctive strengths.
Please contact [email protected] if you would like information or to discuss your individual circumstances. We look forward to speaking with you and, hopefully, to welcoming you to campus very soon!
Naming Opportunities
A minimum gift of $100,000 is required to create a named endowment fund at WRA. Endowment funds may be named according to the donor’s wishes and designated for a specific purpose. Endowed funds are invested as part of the WRA endowment which is managed and administered by the Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees. Annual distributions from endowed funds are determined by the spend-rule established by the Board of Trustees.
All donors establishing endowed funds will receive an extensive annual report on the investment performance of the fund, the distribution and use of funds along with letters of thanks from faculty or student recipients. In many cases, the Advancement Office coordinates meetings between donors and recipients to further develop their relationship with each other and WRA.
Click here to review all current Naming Opportunities at Reserve.
Thanks & Recognition
Upon his death, James W. Ellsworth left a substantial portion of his estate to Western Reserve Academy. His initial gift of $4 million served as the beginning of our endowment. For many years, the James W. Ellsworth Trust was our only form of endowment, and the earnings from it provided operating income to keep Western Reserve Academy financially solvent. Could he have ever imagined where his gift would lead? More than 96 years later our endowment is valued in excess of $116 million; the WRA endowment provides more than 20% of the school's operating budget. Over the years, the generosity of alumni, parents and friends of Western Reserve Academy who have supported our endowed funds has provided thousands of students the opportunity to benefit from scholarship gifts, and recognized deserving faculty members for their dedication and achievements. Every gift to Western Reserve Academy’s endowment makes a difference by strengthening the institution’s financial foundation and sets the pace for the future.
Whether you are an alumnus of the school, an alumni parent, a current parent, a grandparent or a friend of WRA, we thank you for your continued support and dedication.