FAQ

The NOWFund NPC sponsors deserving learners at Westerford who would not otherwise get the chance to attend the school. 

While we raise funds from Westerford alumni, the scholarship and the scholars are managed by the Spirit Education Foundation (SEF). The scholarship is holistic with items such as school fees, uniforms, books, school lunches and transport covered as required. The team at SEF also provide mentorship and other psychosocial or academic support. 

👉 Why did you decide to become independent? 

For the last 7 years, we have effectively been a fundraising group for the Spirit Education Foundation (SEF) with the funds raised being ringfenced for Westerford scholarships. 

During this time, the SEF team has done a lot of admin for us which became more involved as we started including additional fundraising in our annual plans. As we have grown, it’s become clear that we needed more independence,  and to manage our own finances and community.  It made sense to change sooner rather than later so we set ourselves up for greater success and long-term sustainability. 

We started with the question ‘What could the NOWFund look like in 50 years?’ and aimed to set that committee up for success. 

Our ‘little’ fund, has expanded into quite a large contributor to both SEF and the school and we aim to grow more in the next years. 

👉 How did you decide on the format of the new organisation? 

The current committee had to decide between forming a Trust and a Non-Profit Company (NPC). We took substantial legal advice and decided on an NPC to allow for future growth and the possibility of alternative fundraising streams. 

👉 How did the change process get managed? 

We worked with an organisation called NGOLawSA to draft and submit the Memorandum of Incorporation and apply to SARS for the Section 18A certificate. The new MOI was created and approved by the current committee. The new team will run very similarly to the previous informal committee based on high communication, transparency, integrity and care. 

👉 How does this change impact my existing donations? 

Nothing changes about where the current donations are spent - 100% of the primary donations will be allocated to scholarships. We have fundraised separately to cover our current legal costs - with thanks to donors from the classes of 1993 and 1996. 

We are still looking for additional financial assistance for the final part of the process so please let us know if you are able to support. 

👉 How are you planning to cover the running costs? 

Naturally, there are operational costs associated with running an NPC and we are working to raise funds for these independently and will also use the fundraisers to cover these costs. The committee continues to work on a voluntary basis. 

If you would like to contribute, financially or in kind to the operational running of the NOWFund, please let us know. At present, we’re looking for:
●    an accounting firm to partner with
●    a Treasurer to join the committee in February 2025

Your class year will be credited and acknowledged with the full amount of your contribution for the financial or in-kind donations you make. You are welcome to stay anonymous if you prefer. 

👉 What are the operational costs? 

While we don’t have a full budget finalised, the approximate costs we need to cover are:
●    Legal fees | Approximately R12000 annually to facilitate all submissions to SARS
●    Accounting fees including Annual Financial Statements 
●    Audit costs (we will audit the fund every three years) 
●    Website and Marketing | Approximately R6000 per year excluding fundraiser costs 

👉 Where are the donations now?

Our current funds are in the Investec Account you are familiar with and still managed by the SEF team. As soon as we have SARS Section18A clearance, we will move it to our new FNB account. 

The transition to a new account for your monthly contributions will depend on when SARS issues our Section 18A certificate. This can take up to 6 - 8  months and should be completed no later than August 2025 (we believe it will be earlier). 

👉 Will the donation process change?

No, the process remains the same. Only the banking details will change.

👉 What happens with the current scholars? 

There is no change in their scholarship status - this change doesn’t impact them at all. We will continue to support them through the Spirit Education Foundation for the duration of their High School career at Westerford. 

👉 How will future scholarships/scholars be affected? 

We will continue to use the expertise of third-party organisations to recruit scholars and manage the scholarships so the learners receive a holistic education and are well-supported by experts in the field. Our 2025 scholarship beneficiaries have been selected by the SEF however, in the future we may use other similar organisations. 
NOWFund NPC 
👉 Can I see the Memorandum of Incorporation (the document that guides all your behaviour)? 

Of course, just let us know you’d like to and we’ll happily send you a copy. Email us on nowfund@westerford.co.za. 

👉  Who oversees the NPC and ensures the funds are being used appropriately?

The committee ensures the NPC adheres to the MOI. We are legally bound to meet the criteria set in the MOI. 

Currently, the following people are a part of the team 
●    Carryn Ortlepp - 1996  - Chairperson 
●    Peter Narun - 1996 - OWA Teacher-in-charge
●    Janni Younge - 1993
●    Meghan Hector - 2009 
●    Ryan Geddes - 2000 

John Martin (1982) served as our Treasurer for a year and left on 31 Janaury 2025 while Michael Gathercole (1995), Paula Wallace-Pickering (1996) and Jerushah Rangasami (1996) are leaving the committee once the NPC process is finalised. We’d like to thank them for their contribution over the last few years. 

You can reach any of the committee members on nowfund@westerford.co.za. 

👉 How does this NPC relate to Westerford High School? 

The NOWFund NPC is a stand-alone entity. It is not legally nor administratively related to Westerford High School although we use the school's address as our ‘Headquarters’. We work closely with the school and have their full support in this endeavour.