Giving Opportunities

Scholarship granting organizations (SGOs) are a unique type of giving organization recently approved in the State of Ohio legislature. Donors to the LSGO of Ohio (a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization) can receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit against their Ohio state tax liability for their donation, up to $750 per individual or $1,500 for those who are married filing jointly. Donations to the LSGO of Ohio go directly to student scholarships at participating schools. The schools of the CLHSA (Lutheran East and Lutheran West) are both participants in this program.

Lutheran High School East’s capital campaign, Faith & Future, is funding important campus improvements including brand new windows throughout the building, full-building air conditioning, energy efficient lighting, a refacing of the building exterior, and updated modern exterior signage. The renovations are nearing completion, but the fundraising campaign will be ongoing.

Forward in Faith is Lutheran West’s largest capital campaign in school history and is enabling the renovation and expansion of the school building, including the addition of 30,000 square feet of modern academic and extracurricular spaces. The campaign has enabled the addition of grades 6 through 8, transforming Lutheran West into a 6th-12th grade school. Additionally, funds raised through Forward in Faith are supporting the expansion of the school’s Centers of Excellence, elite curricular areas in which students can choose to focus their educational experiences.

The Annual Fund is the Association’s giving avenue that seeks unrestricted gifts (donations not earmarked for a specific project, program, or initiative) to support ongoing operational needs at both schools. Unrestricted gifts are vitally important because they provide long-term strength and stability. Those gifts allow leadership to address high-priority needs, respond to unforeseen situations, and confidently invest in high potential areas for institutional advancement.

To express our appreciation for alumni and friends who have remembered the CLHSA in their wills and/or estate plans, we established The Legacy Society. Members of The Legacy Society are a part of a community of supporters who have declared that the mission of the CLHSA is one that they wish to support into perpetuity. We invite you to join with other compassionate philanthropists who share your commitment to Lutheran education.

For more information on The Legacy Society, how to include the CLHSA in your plans, or to learn how to start or revise your will or estate plan, please contact Ashley Koza, Director of Development, at 440-356-7155 ext. 3 or akoza@clhsa.org. 

The Cleveland Lutheran Educational Endowment Fund, commonly referred to as CLEEF, was established in 1985 with a mission to further the educational program of the CLHSA, largely through annual endowment distributions to our two schools’ operating budgets. Since inception, CLEEF has provided over six million dollars in additional income necessary to meet the day-to-day costs associated with running our two schools. Furthermore, CLEEF’s generosity includes an annual distribution of scholarships awarded to recipients based on a student submission and thorough review by the board. To date, the CLEEF board has awarded $320,000 in tuition assistance to deserving students.

For more information on giving to CLEEF, please contact Ashley Koza, Director of Development, at 440-356-7155 ext. 3 or akoza@clhsa.org. 

Did you know that 65% of American families do not have a will or estate plan in place? Without an estate plan, in the case you pass away, your assets and wishes are left up to your family to sort through and up to the court system to allocate. Families with children also breathe easier with an estate plan in place, knowing that their wishes for the custody of their children has been determined. The CLHSA maintains a partnership with SFC Estate Coaching to help you navigate the planning of your will, trust, or other estate plans. SFC’s professional estate coach will help you reach the point of “attorney readiness” with your plans, and will recommend an attorney to help you file your documents if you do not have a preferred attorney of your own.

As a friend of the CLHSA, you are entitled to complimentary estate coaching through SFC. This includes a one-hour initial meeting, plus a 30-40 minute follow up session, both of which can be done virtually.

Automated recurring gifts are easy to set up using the simple online donation form here. Simply check the box that says “Make this a monthly gift” when you complete the online giving form. You are able to set up an automatic monthly gift from your credit card or your checking account via electronic funds transfer. If you have any questions or difficulty setting up a recurring gift, please contact Ashley Koza, Director of Development, at 440-356-7155 ext. 3 or akoza@clhsa.org

A matching gift from your employer allows you to double, and in some cases triple your gift to the CLHSA.

It’s easy to do:
 • Ask your employer or your spouse’s employer if they match gifts to secondary educational institutions.
• Obtain and complete the matching gift form. It is usually available from the Human resources department or your company website.
• Send the matching gift form to Ashley Koza, Director of Development, at akoza@clhsa.org or to the CLHSA office.
• We will process the matching gift form. 

An IRA charitable rollover is a way you can help continue our work and benefit this year. When individuals take distributions from their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), it usually counts as income for tax purposes. An IRA charitable rollover, also called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), is an exception. Individuals age 70½ and older can distribute from their IRAs to their favorite 501(c)(3) without counting the distribution as income. A QCD can also satisfy all or part of the amount of your required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year. 

Contact Ashley Koza, Director of Development, at 440-356-7155 ext. 3 or akoza@clhsa.org for more information.

The CLHSA accepts donations of securities and stock transfers. Many donors find they are able to give more generously through these assets than if they would have simply given cash. This increased generosity allows us to advance our mission of Christ-centered education. Donors also find that there are potential tax benefits through this giving style that can help avoid paying tax on capital gains.

Contact Ashley Koza, Director of Development, at 440-356-7155 ext. 3 or akoza@clhsa.org for more information.

Named and Endowed scholarships provide a permanent source of funding for students and families attending one of our Lutheran High Schools. Endowed scholarships typically carry the name of the individual, family, or organization that provided the funding. Funding a scholarship allows students from all financial backgrounds to attend Lutheran East or Lutheran West.

Contact Ashley Koza, Director of Development, at 440-356-7155 ext. 3 or akoza@clhsa.org  for more information.