WE KNOW there's been an exponential increase in STEM-related and entreprenerial-based jobs, along with a critical skills shortage. Moreover, a significant gender imbalance exists in both fields.
WE KNOW STEM and careers in tech have grown by 80% in the past 20 years. BUT women make up barely 25% of workers in the technology sector.
WE KNOW that at the executive level, only 11% of women hold leadership roles in tech.
WE KNOW that as little as 2% of all investment money goes to women entrepreneurs.
How iCAST will impact Branksome and the broader community
YOU CAN PLEDGE YOUR GIFT OVER TIME
For example, a $50,000 gift can be paid off over five years, i.e. $10,000 a year. Donors have the discretion to structure their pledge to best suit their financial circumstances, making a transformational gift more financially feasible.
Depending on the size of your gift, you can name a space in iCAST! Contact Claudia Metelsky, Director, Campaign and Development, Advancement and Community Engagement to learn more!
Answers to your most frequently asked questions about iCAST:
iCAST ($25 million): a flexible, inspiring, collaborative space with cutting-edge technology, a “black box” performance theatre and applied learning spaces.
Student Financial Assistance ($3 million): to open the doors for exceptional students, regardless of their financial situation.
Opportunity Fund ($2 million): Donations can be directed to the school’s area of greatest need, as determined thoughtfully each year by senior leadership, or to a specific program, project or area, allowing us to respond quickly to new captivating learning opportunities to enrich our curriculum and set our students apart.
The Campaign began in July 2019, and was publicly launched on September 22, 2023.
As of August 2023, we have raised $22,007,121 towards our $30M goal.
To reach our goal, we are looking for participation from as many people as possible. We are looking to engage a number of stakeholders, including current and past parents, alums, grandparents, faculty and staff, and the wider community.
Tuition does not cover the cost of capital expenses, like iCAST. Indeed, even our Annual Fund Campaign exists because tuition covers just 70 per cent of a student's educational cost. Our alums, parents, faculty and friends provide the margin that bumps our educational experience and offerings from great to extraordinary and make projects like iCAST possible.
Every gift positively impacts the student experience, and when combined, these contributions play a significant role in advancing the Campaign for Branksome.
Yes, by making your gift to iCAST, Student Financial Assistance or another area of need at Branksome, you will be supporting the Campaign.
There is tremendous flexibility in establishing a pledge. While most donors usually choose to pledge their gift over a span of five years, you have the option to customize the duration of the pledge, as well as the timing and amounts of the installments, according to your specific needs.
Yes. Tax receipts will be issued for all eligible donations. When you make a gift online you will receive your tax receipt automatically by email right after your donation is made. Branksome makes it easy for donors to contribute in convenient and tax-efficient manners, including options like flow-through shares or donations of stocks and securities.
Yes! We have a number of naming opportunities available at various giving levels. Naming opportunities are a meaningful way to leave a legacy at Branksome Hall for your family and daughter.
Depending on the giving level, we have a number of meaningful ways to recognize your generosity, including naming opportunities, signage, plaques, invitations to special events and visibility in Branksome communications.
Since the school’s founding in 1903, we have relied on the philanthropic support of the community. Families benefit from those that came before them, as your daughter has. It is about paying it forward. Just as your daughter benefited from the Athletics and Wellness Centre during her time at Branksome, the iCAST will benefit future generations to come. Those projects relied on the generosity of parents whose daughters graduated before the completion of the project, who recognized the importance of providing future Branksome students the best opportunity to succeed.
The project is a partnership between New York-based ENNEAD and Toronto-based MJMA (architect of the AWC). ENNEAD has experience redefining learning spaces, from Kindergarten to graduate school, establishing spaces that inspire student development, promote collaboration and strengthen connections within the classroom and to the broader community.
We anticipate the building will open in September 2025.
Join us to prepare our students for the workplaces of tomorrow so they can lead the way, their way. Please MAKE WAY now.