Groton School receives historic $15 million gift in support of long-term financial stability

An anonymous alumnus will give $15 million to Groton School in support of the school’s long-term financial stability. The gift—half of which ($7.5 million) will be received in this fiscal year, with the remainder coming in over the next few years—will go directly toward paying down a portion of the school’s outstanding debt. It is believed to be the largest gift in school history.

“We are grateful for this transformational gift to Groton School from a graduate who cares so deeply about our school and is so supportive of where Groton is today and its vision moving forward,” said Board of Trustees President Benjamin Pyne ’77, P’12, ’15. “This gift, along with the work the trustees have done on developing a formal policy around debt, will build on Groton’s strong foundation so that it can continue to implement its mission ever more forcefully for generations to come.”

“We often talk about the ‘Groton Embrace,’” said Groton Headmaster Temba Maqubela. “When a donor who is as unassuming as this alum makes a gift as significant as this without needing any accolades or fuss, it is an epitome of the Groton embrace. It is rare for anyone to make an impact of this magnitude and insist on anonymity. This example of giving for the greater good is a lesson that is not lost to the Groton community. It is goodness, generosity, and humility intertwined.” 

This $15 million gift found inspiration in two groundbreaking policies implemented by Groton School in recent years: the GRAIN (GRoton Affordability and INclusion) tuition- and cost-containment initiative, and a formal debt management policy approved by Groton’s trustees this past year. 

“My hope is that this gift will validate for Vuyelwa and Temba Maqubela and the trustees their foresight in adopting the new debt policy and encourage them to continue their commitment to responsible financial management through orderly oversight of potential future and existing debt,” said the donor. “This effort, in unison with continuing the school’s policy of maintaining its tuition at the most affordable possible level through GRAIN, will no doubt keep Groton School at the top of its field.”

Adopted by the Board of Trustees in November 2014 as the school’s number-one priority, GRAIN froze tuition for four years and allowed for moderate increases in other years, while expanding the number of students receiving financial assistance and guaranteeing that Groton School would consider all applicants without regard to their ability to pay. As a result, the school’s tuition—the highest among forty peer schools in 2014–15—is now lowest, and Groton is recognized as a leader among independent schools in inclusion and tuition containment.

 

To date, $86 million has been raised—with $75.5 million received—to support GRAIN and GRAIN 2.0.

 

Groton’s debt policy, the first of its kind at the school or any of its peer institutions, was adopted by the Board of Trustees at its November 2023 meeting and ensures that any future debt has an explicit plan to repay. 

“The visionary and authentic leadership of Vuyelwa and Temba reminds us that inclusion demands to be considered in all of our choices at Groton and most especially when it comes to the strategic vision of the school,” said Trustee Ann Fox ’94. “Affordability is a critical objective if we are to ensure that Groton continues to be a place that welcomes all. Temba constantly says, ‘Who is not at the table with us?’ This simple question led us to realize we were missing the ‘middle’ at Groton. That’s why this gift is so important and so humbling. This alum feels that strong governance leads to solid financial footing for Groton, allowing us to continue to be one of the most affordable and inclusive of our peer schools.”

Historically, Groton School has taken on reasonable debt with low-interest rates to finance building projects and capital improvements, a standard practice among independent schools. This gift will pay off a significant portion of Groton’s outstanding debt, including bonds issued to cover part of the Schoolhouse renovation project.

“It goes without saying that this donor cares deeply for Groton,” said John MacEachern, director of Development and Alumni Affairs. “He had been a form volunteer for nearly five decades, encouraging his formmates to give back to the school. This gift is the finest expression of the donor's desire to be, in his own words, ‘useful’ to Groton. Every school should be so fortunate as to have a graduate so humble and helpful in its ranks.”