Annual Campaign

Donations made to the School’s annual fund campaign support Haystack’s annual operating budget. Your generosity ensures that we remain a vibrant organization by attracting world-class faculty, improving the studios, supporting our extraordinary staff, and providing scholarships to more than 25% of the students attending the School. Gifts at all levels will make a profound impact on the work we do to meet our mission, build community, and connect people through craft. Haystack’s current fiscal year runs from November 1, 2024, to October 31, 2025.

Fellowships

Fellowships provide tuition, room, and board, plus a stipend for students to attend a Haystack workshop. Generous supporters make it possible for Haystack to award full fellowships by creating named endowment funds and current-year funds. These fellowships annually support more than 25% of students attending the School.

In 2022—our most recent year of programming—these fellowships supported more than 165 students (recent high school and college graduates, retirees, parents, emerging artists, and more) from as near as Deer Isle to as far away as Uganda, New Zealand, and Norway. Fellowships are created by foundations and individual donors through Haystack’s annual and endowment fund contributions, end-of-session auctions, annual summer gala, and grants.

Endowed scholarship and fellowship funds are awarded through an annual review process. Haystack administers funds according to fund descriptions.

Currently, an endowed fellowship fund can be created for $65,000 and includes tuition, room, and board, plus a stipend. Haystack is also able to work with individual donors to establish Current Year Fellowships (also providing a student with tuition, room, and board, plus a stipend, to attend a two-week workshop) in a given year.

To find out more about creating a Current Year Fellowship or establishing a fully endowed fund, contact Development Director, Ginger Aldrich, at development@haystack-mtn.org.

View a full list of our endowed Scholarship and Fellowship funds here.

Planned Giving

There are many types of planned giving and Haystack will work to best meet the intentions and wishes of donors. Estate gifts most often have tax benefits, and planning should occur with the consultation and advice of a professional advisor.

BEQUESTS

CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES

CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUSTS AND CHARITABLE LEAD TRUSTS

LIFE INSURANCE & RETIREMENT PLANS

HAYSTACK CIRCLE

Members of this group—currently more than fifty people—have notified Haystack that the School is included in their wills.

HAYSTACK TAX ID NUMBER (EIN)

01-0243548

The Haystack Mountain School of Crafts is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Auctions

SUMMER BENEFIT

Haystack hosts an annual, invitational Summer Benefit. This event, held on our campus in July, has been our biggest fundraiser of the year and helps support fellowships and the School’s programming.

THE HAYSTACK AUCTION

A live auction of work by current and former faculty, visitings artists, and fab lab residents to celebrate Haystack and the inspiring artists who lead our summer sessions. Enjoy a coveted first look during the Preview Reception and don't miss your chance to obtain spectacular work only available at Haystack this summer during the Live Auction.

END OF SESSION SILENT AUCTIONS

Haystack’s end-of-session auctions are presented as part of our Public Program Series. Showcasing the work of faculty and students from the summer workshop sessions, these auctions help raise funds for fellowships and studio improvements. End-of-session auctions are held in the School’s Gateway Auditorium and are free and open to the public.