About

The CGS Foundation exists to support the long-term security, advancement and renewal of Canberra Grammar School as a world-class leader in modern education.

Philanthropy plays a vital role at CGS, allowing us to enhance the opportunities we are able to offer and to secure a bright and successful future for the School. The CGS Foundation exists to engage with you and to strengthen the connection you have with the School, and to facilitate the passion and support of our community.

Philanthropic donations in the form of bequests or in support of scholarship enable us to expand what is possible here at School, and ensure that CGS will continue to enrich the lives of students for generations to come.

Why is the CGS Foundation necessary?

Contrary to general perception, the School does not receive high levels of government funding. It relies very heavily on its community’s support in the form of tuition fees and donations to the Foundation. In fact, government funding accounts for only around 15% of total School revenue, and that proportion is falling as funding is reduced in real terms over time and as grants for the development of capital infrastructure have become less common.

At the same time, there are many families for whom tuition fees are a significant sacrifice, on top of which come all the extras that go with an extraordinary education: textbooks, technology, musical instruments, sporting equipment, uniforms, excursions, camps and tours.

The Foundation exists to reduce the burden on parents over time by supporting the cost of building and maintaining facilities that would otherwise have to be funded almost entirely by fee revenue. It also exists to fund the scholarships and bursaries that encourage students of talent to join the School and that make its education accessible to many for whom it might otherwise be out of reach.