Support Lillie May · Give her room to grow
Her brilliance.
Our shared
future.
Invest in Baltimore girls who ask bold questions, create work that matters, and learn to lead with courage.
Choose your way to give ↗See what your support makes possible ↓
Why give to Lillie May?
Her education is public.
Her possibilities
should be limitless.
At Lillie May Carroll Jackson, a girl’s education is about the scholar she is today and the woman she is becoming. It is the question she learns to ask, the work she is proud to share, the voice she discovers, and the people who help her keep going.
As a tuition-free public charter school in Baltimore, we invite our community to help us go the extra mile. Philanthropy strengthens the opportunities and relationships that make a rich school experience possible—from hands-on learning and creative expression to leadership and a wider view of the world.
Investing in girls of color is an investment in the ideas, leadership, and possibility they bring to Baltimore and beyond. Families, alumnae, neighbors, businesses, foundations, and friends all have a place in that commitment.
Your gift joins a community that sees her brilliance—and puts resources behind it.
Start with the Annual Fund →Where your support goes
Resources become
experiences that stay with her.
Giving supports the school community behind a scholar’s growth. Here is what that experience looks like at Lillie May.
01 / Curiosity becomes understanding
Real questions.
Work worth sharing.
In Expeditions, scholars investigate questions, learn from experts, create original work, and present their learning to the community. Think of the research materials, fieldwork, tools for making, and opportunities to share that help bring learning to life.
See Expeditions in action →02 / Her voice takes shape
Artistry. Expression.
The courage to be seen.
Dance, theatre, and visual art give scholars ways to explore identity, practice collaboration, and bring an idea to an audience. Rehearsal, materials, and performance experiences are part of a school life where girls’ creativity matters.
Explore the arts at LMCJ →03 / Belonging makes room for growth
A community
that knows her.
Crew is where relationships, reflection, and responsibility become daily practice. A strong school surrounds a girl with adults and peers who know her, challenge her, and encourage her to contribute.
Step inside Crew →04 / Her world gets wider
Rooted in Baltimore.
Ready for a wider world.
Learning beyond a familiar classroom can change what a girl imagines for herself. Our current China and Ghana campaigns invite supporters to help make planned international learning and performance experiences possible.
Explore current scholar campaigns →Annual Fund gifts provide flexible support for school priorities. For a particular campaign or an agreed designated gift, choose that opportunity or talk with us about your intention.
Choose your way to give ↗Explore our annual report →
The woman behind our name
She brought people together.
She helped change Baltimore.
A teacher. An organizer. A builder of institutions. Lillie May Carroll Jackson understood the power of people working together for something larger than themselves.
Her real estate investments helped sustain her family and gave her independence to pursue civil rights work. Under her leadership, Baltimore’s NAACP grew into a force for justice.
That history gives giving at Lillie May a deeper meaning: resources can help turn conviction into opportunity. Today, our scholars are learning to carry that work forward.
Explore her history at the Civil Rights Museum ↗Find your place in her story
Support today.
Build what comes next.
Choose the kind of connection that reflects your hopes for Lillie May.
Annual Fund
Support her every day.
Flexible support for school priorities, given once or through monthly Legacy Builders giving.
Explore the Annual Fund →Endowment
Look toward generations.
Explore the purpose and terms of a gift intended to sustain school support over time.
Explore endowed giving →Legacy Giving
Carry a purpose forward.
Honor someone you love, discuss a named gift, or include Lillie May in your future plans.
Explore legacy & special gifts →Events
Gather around her future.
Connect through Women of the Movement and other school gatherings that bring our community together.
Explore events →Sponsorship
Put your partnership to work.
Discuss support for an event, a learning experience, or a school priority with your business or organization.
Explore sponsorship →Current Campaigns
Choose a specific opportunity.
Explore featured open campaigns, choose a purpose, and give through any available method. The live hub also lists events and school purchases.
Browse current campaigns →Your purpose. Your way to give.
Choose a campaign.
Choose how you give.
Choose the school purpose or open campaign you want to support, then choose an available way to give. Please write the campaign name and year, or “Annual Fund,” in the memo, designation, or note field where available. For a tribute, include the honoree’s name as well.
If there is no note field, contact us with your name, gift date, amount, and intended campaign so we can identify your gift. Please confirm a closed campaign, new restriction, named fund, or endowment arrangement with us before giving.
PayPal
Use our existing PayPal option. Add your campaign or Annual Fund designation where a note is available, or contact us separately to identify the gift.
Give with PayPal ↗Givebutter
Use the campaign’s own donation page, or choose Donate on our general hub and include the campaign name and year in the available note or comment field.
Open our Givebutter hub ↗Check
Write the campaign name and year, or Annual Fund, in the memo. Confirm the check payee with us before mailing to LMCJ, 2200 Sinclair Lane, Baltimore, MD 21213.
Confirm check instructions →Donor-advised fund
Ask us to confirm legal recipient details and campaign eligibility before recommending a grant. Include your intended campaign in the grant purpose. DAF grants should not pay for tickets, merchandise, or personal benefits.
Coordinate a DAF grant →Employer matching
Ask whether your employer can match an eligible gift. Tell us which original gift and campaign the match relates to so we can connect the records.
Explore matching gifts →Stock or another arranged gift
Discuss the campaign, timing, and gift with us first. Securities, transfers, pledges, and special arrangements require confirmed acceptance and verified instructions before you proceed.
Arrange your gift →Already gave? Tell us about your gift →
Gifts received through PayPal, checks, or another method are included in the relevant campaign’s public total after staff verify and record them. They may not appear immediately. Your payment confirmation and the school’s acknowledgment help document your gift.
These options are for charitable gifts. Tickets, registrations, dues, merchandise, and sponsorships with benefits follow their own payment instructions; a donation memo does not reserve admission or purchase an item. Existing recurring gifts can continue through their current service.
Giving questions
A thoughtful gift
begins with understanding.
We are here to help you connect your generosity with your intentions.
Receipts, recurring gifts & more →Why give to a public school?
A tuition-free education can be the beginning of extraordinary possibilities. Giving is a voluntary way to invest in the school community and the richness of a girl’s learning: her questions, creative work, relationships, and opportunities to lead. It is a way for people who believe in Lillie May to help the school go the extra mile.
What is annual giving?
Annual giving provides flexible support for ongoing school priorities. At Lillie May, our Annual Fund welcomes general gifts of any size, given once or monthly through Legacy Builders. These gifts help the school respond where support is needed.
How does annual giving differ from endowment or legacy giving?
Annual Fund support is intended for school needs today. Endowed giving concerns a long-term fund with agreed stewardship and spending terms. Legacy giving can include a future gift through estate or beneficiary plans, a tribute, or another special arrangement. A future or named gift does not automatically become an endowment.
Can I choose where my gift goes?
Yes. Choose an open campaign and give through an available method, identifying the campaign name and year in the memo or note where possible. For unrestricted support, denote Annual Fund. If there is no note field, contact us to identify your gift. Discuss a new restriction or named fund before giving; include the honoree’s name for a tribute.
How much should I give?
Choose an amount that is meaningful and comfortable for you. Every gift is welcome. Legacy Builders began with an invitation of $20 a month, and you can choose a different amount. Time, expertise, and thoughtful introductions are also ways to support the school.
What should I know about tax acknowledgments?
Keep the acknowledgment for your gift and consult your advisors about your circumstances. A gift without benefits differs from a payment for tickets, merchandise, meals, or a sponsorship that includes benefits. Contact us if you need a receipt or help understanding a particular payment.
Connect with us
Your hopes for her future
belong in the conversation.
Whether you are making a first gift, thinking about a lasting legacy, or exploring a partnership, let’s talk about the connection you want to make.
Dr. Kristina Kyles-Smith
Chief Executive Officer · Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School
kristina.ksmith@lilliemay.org
443-320-9499
A community behind every scholar
Help write what comes next.
Every gift begins with a belief in what our girls can become. Thank you for being part of their story.
Choose your way to give ↗Talk with us →