Support Grace
Support Grace
Join the Grace Community School mission to teach Jesus
Our Community Is Engaged, Involved, and Generous.
We are fortunate to have an involved community, and we are indebted to our many supporters who make a financial investment into the school each year. Teaching Jesus to every child requires the support of the entire Grace community through your participation, gifts of time, and financial contributions.
At Grace, tuition and fees cover the cost of an education. Grace depends on the generosity of its board, faculty and staff, current parents, grandparents, alumni families and friends to help families afford a Grace education through the Grace Fund, special projects and campus expansion.
We invite you to support Grace in our many initiatives that help to make a difference in the life of every student.
Grace is not just a school to us, it is part of our family and always will be. We will forever be grateful for the sacrifices of those who give [to the Grace Fund] so that our kids can go to an awesome Christian school that teaches them Jesus!
Where can I make a difference?
Why Give?
Stewardship
Whether you have already invested in Grace Community School or are considering investing, we think it’s important you know our philosophy of biblical stewardship.
God Owns it All
God has provided us with all of our time, wealth, possessions, abilities and resources. He owns everything. These resources are His gifts to us, which He will use to accomplish wonderful things for His Kingdom. (1 Chronicles 29:14)
Our Giving Is to God
Giving is a worshipful, obedient act of returning to God from what He has provided. (Philippians 4:17-18)
Our Giving Is a Reflection of What We Treasure
From God’s Kingdom view, our giving becomes a tool to further God’s work on earth. (Lk. 12:34, 1 Tim. 6:17-19)
We Are to Manage God's Resources
Since God owns everything, we are called to be managers or stewards of all that God entrusts to them, to honor and glorify Him. (1 Pt. 4:10, Lk. 16)
God Desires That We Give Cheerfully
While faithful stewardship is our responsibility, God desires that our giving would come from a heart motivated by joy. Our desire is to encourage people in their journey of stewardship, that they might discover or continue in the joy of giving. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Our Commitment to You
- Rely on Scripture to guide our fundraising practices
- Rely on the Holy Spirit to prompt hearts to give
- View giving as an act of obedient worship to God
- Invest time in building Kingdom relationships
- Work with integrity in all we say and do
- Listen to the hearts of our donors
- Join together in prayer as partners in ministry
- Value every gift, regardless of size
- Communicate clearly and regularly with those in partnership with us
- Vow to be effective stewards of the gifts entrusted to us by our ministry partners
- Seek and value accountability
What Is Our Role?
The mission of Grace Community School’s Advancement Office is to build authentic partnerships that promote and inspire personal life transformation through biblical stewardship. We stand ready to assist you so that you can steward all God has entrusted to your care. Our purpose is to share opportunities and invite God’s people to invest in God’s Kingdom through the mission and vision of Grace Community School.
As a result of honoring God with a biblical approach to our giving and asking practices, we believe that in God’s time, He will supply all our needs.
“We have been so thankful over the years for the support to families like ours who could not send a child to Grace without financial aid. We believe God led us to choose Grace for our child.”
Ways to Give
Gifts Anyone Can Make
Some gifts do not have to cost you anything today but support our mission in the future. These gifts include naming Grace Community School as a beneficiary of your:
- Will or living trust
- Qualified retirement plan (IRA, 403(b), 401(k), etc.)
- Life insurance policy
- Donor-advised fund
How It Works
- Name Grace Community School in your will, codicil to your will, living trust or as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, life insurance policy or donor-advised fund
- Designate your gift for a particular purpose that is important to you, or allow us to use the gift where the need is greatest at the time it matures
- Indicate a set amount, a percentage or the remaining balance to benefit our mission
Benefits
- Your assets remain in your control during your lifetime
- You can modify your gift at any time to address changing circumstances
- You can direct your gift to a particular purpose (be sure to check with us to make sure your gift can be used as intended)
- Under current federal tax law there is no upper limit on the estate tax deduction for your charitable gifts
Cash, Check or Credit Cards
3025 University Blvd.
Tyler, TX 75703
Make A Pledge
Honorariums & Memorials
Other Gifts
Recurring Gifts
Give Stocks or Securities
If you contribute appreciated securities to Grace, you may receive a twofold income tax benefit: a charitable deduction for the present fair market value and avoid capital gains tax on the appreciation. For instructions about how to make your gift, click here. To donate securities, please use the following information:
Beneficiary: Grace Community School
Broker: Hilltop Securities
Ms. Debbie Todd
dtodd@hilltopnetwork.com
(903) 253-0225
To ensure proper credit in a timely fashion and receipt to the proper GCS account, please inform Tim Connor, Director of Advancement, when the stock transfer takes place. Please include the name of the donor and type and number of shares to expect.
Matching Gifts
Donor-Advised Funds
Corporate Partnerships
Thanks to our 2019-2020 Corporate Partners
Opportunities
Grace Community School is committed to fostering a mutually beneficial relationship with the business community as we prepare the next generation of community leaders.
There are numerous opportunities for corporate involvement with Grace. Opportunities include financially supporting our award-winning fine arts programs, Cougar athletic event partnerships, sponsoring student events and activities, and visibility at event venues. Partnership opportunities provide corporations a means to expand their community profile while accessing valuable benefits.
Interested in showing your support while also advertising your services to a highly coveted audience?
Please contact Tim Connor for more information.
Meet Our Team
Tim Connor
Director of Advancement
Tim began his career at Grace in 2010 after a teaching career in Dallas and serving as head of school at a small school in Pennsylvania. In 2014, he became the director of advancement with oversight in admissions and capital improvements. In his spare time, Tim coaches seventh grade basketball. Tim received his bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a master’s degree from Baptist Bible College in Organizational Leadership. He is also a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE). Tim and his wife, Julie, have two children at Grace: Kelsey and Jackson. Tim loves people, encouraging generosity, and serving at Grace Community Church and other local non-profits.
Susan Kelly
Advancement Assistant/Campaign Coordinator
Susan Kelly has worked as an administrative assistant to the Advancement Department at Grace since 2012, assuming the additional role of Campaign Coordinator in 2016. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Tyler. Susan and her husband, Todd, have two sons at Grace.
Sydney Sumpter
Director of Alumni Relations
Sydney serves as the Director of Alumni Relations at Grace Community School, where she personally studied for fourteen years before graduating in 2013. She also coaches Track & Field for Grace at both the high school and middle school levels. Sydney graduated summa cum laude from Dallas Baptist University in 2016, where she earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Management and minor in Biblical Studies. She received her Master of Business Administration in Entrepreneurial Leadership from East Texas Baptist University in 2017 while working full-time as the President’s Assistant for nearly two years.
FAQs
Q. Why give to Grace Community School?
Q. How do I make my gift?
Q. What size gift should I make, and when should I make it?
The funding schedule for the Grace Fund coincides with Grace’s fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30. Your annual gift made during this time frame is appreciated.