Bridge Fund Campaign

The Potters’ Studio. Life-long Learning for All.

Donate before March 2027 and help us take the next step to secure our Studio’s financial future. Let’s retire the Bridge Loan together. 

For gifts over $5,000, please see our additional Ways to Give (below) or consider adding 3% for processing fees. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps us allocate more resources directly to our Studio. 

FAQ 

How do I donate? 

You may donate online, by check, through a Donor Advised Fund, with stocks, or through other qualified charitable distributions. Please see Ways to Give below. 

What is the Bridge Loan? 

To buy and renovate our new building has taken years of saving, the generosity of our amazing donors, a bank loan, and a Bridge Loan. One very generous individual alone has loaned the Studio $650,000 ( $710,000 with interest). We call this the Bridge Loan— it was a bridge that allowed us to secure the bank loan that would fund our construction. 

When is the Bridge Loan due? 

Unlike the bank loan, our Bridge Loan is short-term and something we need to retire by March 2027. Once retired, this will leave the studio with only one long-term loan and will smooth out the studio’s financial future. Retiring this loan paves the way for both stabilization and growth. 

How much does the Studio currently (June 2026) owe on the Bridge Loan? 

We’ve paid down $175,000. We have $535,000 to go. 

What happens if we don’t raise the Bridge Loan?

While we’re working to retire the loan through Fundraising, our Finance committee is actively pursuing alternative funding and refinancing options. 

Your gift reduces our debt burden and secures the Studio’s future. 

Ways to Give

  • For online donations, please use the above form.  

  • Checks can be made out to The Potters’ Studio and mailed to 724 Camelia St., Berkeley, CA, 94710. Please include “Attn: Todd Pletcher” in the address. 

  • For gifts from Donor Advised Funds, you may find us by searching for our EIN# 94-2435892 through your financial institution’s giving platform. 

  • For gifts of stock or qualified charitable distributions, please contact our Executive Director, Todd Pletcher, at todd@berkeleypottersstudio.org. Your broker will require our account information. 

  • Ask your employer if they match charitable gifts! Many employers will match philanthropic gifts to 501c3 organizations. A matching gift goes twice as far.

If you have any questions, or would like to discuss your donation, we’re here! Email Philomena, our Fundraising Chair, at development@berkeleypottersstudio.org.  


We are a 501c3 and your gift is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. EIN 94-2435892.