Welcome a Wider Community

Welcome a Wider Community

We will welcome students from across the capital region and make our education more financially accessible.

The history of Sidwell Friends is deeply rooted in and linked to this remarkable city. In Washington, DC, where leaders shape the world, Sidwell Friends shapes future leaders. Throughout our divisions, we nurture students to understand the importance of diversity, think deeply about equality and justice, and let their lives speak through action. We hope that our home city and its residents benefit from our long-standing relationship.

We are dedicated to bolstering our financial aid programs and to supporting talented local students. For many students who have demonstrated ability and potential, the financial barrier to a Sidwell Friends education poses a significant challenge. The School currently lags well behind our peers in endowment per student. Building a stronger endowment will enable us to decrease our overwhelming reliance on increasing tuition dollars to support our operations and to move toward a model of greater financial strength. To supplement this approach, we will generate additional revenue by partially leasing the 3939 Wisconsin Avenue building, applying cost-containment strategies, and building long-term philanthropic relationships.

Our beloved community relies on the full participation of all students. Embracing our student body in full, we look to ensure that all students have a chance to thrive, from the youngest to the oldest.


We will:

  • Bolster the endowment to strengthen our historic and generous commitment to financial aid to support our families.
  • Invest in programs and services that promote the success of all students.
  • Extend meaningful outreach to prospective students with demonstrated ability and promise who may not have previously considered Sidwell Friends a realistic option due to cost.
  • Continue to educate our community about the role of philanthropy in sustaining the School’s mission and educational excellence.
  • Create strategies for additional endowment growth, revenue generation, and operational efficiencies to establish a more stable and predictable model that gives families more certainty about their financial commitment.
  • Reduce our overwhelming reliance on tuition to support our operations and financial aid budgets.

Unify Our Campus

Imagine the Future of Learning

Inspire Ethical Leadership

Welcome a Wider Community