Sacred Heart School students on the first day of school. (Provided photo)CHARLOTTE — To help ensure Catholic schools remain viable and accessible for students and their families, schools across the Diocese of Charlotte are embracing creative new ways to build philanthropic support – and are already seeing results.
In partnership with the diocese’s Development Office, all 20 Catholic schools will hold annual funds in the new school year and continue a variety of other efforts to build financial support.
“Our Catholic schools want to keep tuition as low as possible to ensure they are accessible to all students, so they are building stronger fund-development programs and enhancing existing income streams in many different ways,” said Ben Hoke, director of development for Catholic Schools.
Diocesan officials report for the fiscal year that ended June 30, families and donors embraced the call for philanthropic support – setting a record in annual giving.
Fifteen Catholic schools held annual fund campaigns with a record number of 1,785 donors contributing nearly $1.2 million. It was the first such annual fund for eight of those schools.
Our Lady of the Assumption School in Charlotte was among the first-timers offering an annual fund and saw the highest ever level of parent participation in fundraising.
In Salisbury, Sacred Heart School’s annual “1882 Fund,” named for the year the school was founded, has also hit a record of $184,000. The annual fund supports financial assistance, academic programs, technology and more.
“Annual funds are used to promote Catholicity and provide financial assistance for students, professional development for teachers and staff, academic programs, beautification projects and other operational initiatives at each school,” Hoke said.
When accounting for all types of funding options – annual funds, endowments, special events, and other restricted gifts – donors gave roughly $3.3 million in the most recent fiscal year – also a record in donor directed giving for Catholic schools.
“This culture of philanthropy and support for our schools is based on relationships, not transactions,” Hoke said. “These are individuals and families who are in communion with the Church, other families and, most importantly, with our students and teachers.”
Hoke noted that philanthropic support not only keeps Catholic schools affordable but allows them to build on the strength and variety of what they offer, from academics to extracurricular activities.
Among other changes in fund development, schools have increased efforts to tell their stories and communicate with parents, alumni and communities. Christ the King High School in Huntersville launched a magazine. Sacred Heart School produced its first-ever annual report to illuminate how philanthropy helps the school, and parish-based St. LeoSchool in Winston-Salem expanded its alumni relations program. Online giving tools were introduced, as were donor-relations databases that help cement relationships and support.
“There are so many options for people who want to support their schools and our children – from major gifts to planned gift programs to annual funds,” said Jim Kelley, the diocese’s director of development. “All of them help build healthy, sustainable schools while at the same time changing lives of students who benefit from these gifts.”
To maintain momentum, the diocese is sponsoring a philanthropic workshop Sept. 7 for principals and those who serve in admissions, enrollment, marketing, finance and fund development roles.
The keynote speaker is Conventual Franciscan Father Michael Martin, who served as director of the Duke Catholic Center from 2010 to 2022. The workshop will also include remarks from Dr. Gregory Monroe, superintendent of Catholic Schools, and sessions with local Catholic school representatives who specialize in marketing, enrollment and fund development.
“The spirit of philanthropy,” Monroe said, “is perfectly aligned with our Catholic schools’ mission, which says: ‘In communion with our families and parishes, we form students to be virtuous disciples of Jesus Christ. Rooted in Scripture, Tradition, and the defined teachings of the Catholic Church, our students pursue excellence of intellect, heart, and soul with salvation as the ultimate goal.’”
— SueAnn Howell