Schools becoming more sophisticated in raising funds

At St. Brigid's Regional Catholic School in Watervliet, for example, principal Patricia Eldridge can sound like a salesperson at times as she talks about the fund-raisers the school is involved in. She speaks of "product" and "incentives." Last year, the school's Christmas and Easter candy sales brought in a combined profit of $20,000.

In addition, the school holds a bazaar and a candle sale, sells Entertainment Books, and collects cereal box tops and Campbell's Soup labels (see separate article). There are 305 students enrolled in the school; families pay between $1,860 and $3,160 a year in tuition.

Added income

"When I first interviewed [for the principal's position], I was concerned about being responsible for a large budget and fund-raising," she said.

Since then, she's developed a few techniques for keeping the stress level down. "We try to do it without taxing our parents," she said. "We spread it out. You can 'over-fund-raise' people to death. Also, when picking fund-raisers, we look at the profit versus the time that goes in. The chocolate and candle sales are not stressful."

Extreme fund-raising

"There are too many fund-raisers," he said, listing the ones at his school as including a craft fair, strawberry festival, magazine sale, Christmas and Easter candy sales, and Entertainment book sales.

He has had parents offer to pay a fee instead of having to raise more funds, he said. The fee would be in addition to the $1,950 to $2,550 families pay in tuition.

"In our school, fund-raising occupies a line in our budget," he said. "It's a revenue source. This is serious stuff."

Budget need

"We have to raise $60,000 a year," said principal Elizabeth Rubinstein. "It's a challenge because people are tired of doing it. I would love to pull away and do less."

The school has a bazaar, holds Christmas and Easter sales, collects cereal box tops and soup labels, and has pasta dinners and other sales.

While each activity has a volunteer chairperson and while others on staff help with fund-raising, the principal spends at least five hours a week working on the projects. She also works on fund-raising in the summer, setting up the schedule and finding volunteers.

Parents are involved in the fund-raising efforts as well. The principal said most parents are willing to do the fund-raisers because they know it will help keep the tuition down. Tuition at the school ranges between $1,800 and $2,500 for the 185 students enrolled.

The schools of the Albany Diocese aren't the only ones involved in fund-raising. According to the National Catholic Education Association, fund-raising at Catholic elementary schools is extensive. Less than three percent of schools surveyed for the NCEA's 1997 "Balance Sheet for Catholic Elementary Schools" said they did not hold fund-raisers.

More than 97 percent of the schools do rely on fund-raisers, with candy sales being the most popular. Between 1995 and 1997, candy sales increased by three percentage points, according the NCEA.

Time for change

"To schools that are still dependent on traditional fund-raising efforts like candy, I would say they need to think in larger dollar amounts and prepare for the future," said Sister Kathleen Collins, associate executive director of the elementary school department of the NCEA.

She has spent the past 10 years traveling around the United States assisting Catholic elementary schools in the establishment of development programs. Such programs include creating a long-range plan for the school; marketing, recruitment, and public relation efforts; alumni programs; annual appeals; endowments; and grant-writing.

According to Sister Kathleen, endowment funds are flourishing at 44 percent of Catholic elementary schools. An endowment fund is capital set aside to specifically provide revenue to a school from the interest or earnings generated from the principal. She has worked with elementary schools that have raised millions for their endowment fund as well as those that have collected between $50,000 and $100,000 in their annual appeals. She knows that development programs can work at the elementary school level.

Change of attitude

"Does the attitude of school leadership affect a school's development effort? You better believe it does," she said. "But not only development. All aspects of the school are influenced by the head of the school."

She told the story of Sacred Heart School in Gervais, Oregon, that went from being on the brink of closure to recently completing an addition and renovation project. Through most of the school's history, it was filled to capacity. During the late 1980s, enrollment decreased dramatically to an all-time low of 43 students. To add to the school's problems, it had a $20,000 deficit in 1989.

The school participated in Sister Kathleen's Development Training Program in 1990. Nine years later, it has a full enrollment, added a kindergarten program, raised more than $350,000 to build an addition to the school and renovate the building, established an endowment, and was able to hire its first full-time principal.

"I don't have any words of wisdom," said principal Nicki Medeiros. "Just that it works."

Planning

"Without getting into development, we'll be a hand-to-mouth deal," he said.

Currently, the Christ the King community is working on a long-range plan for the school. When the plan is completed, it will be used to market the school as well as to solicit donations.

Successful effort

Since then, a group of alumni have organized. The group hosts events and outings for the school and alumni community, and has raised money to purchase new desks for the school.

While it took time to collect the current addresses of the graduates of the 38-year-old school, Sister Mary Ellen said it wasn't that hard because she had a committed group of volunteers working on the project.

The alumni, she said, now host a barbecue for school graduates in June, have an annual alumni basketball game, sponsor an Albany River Rats outing, and have planned other events.

According to Sister Mary Ellen, "It's worth the effort. It's not hard if you have a committed group of people."

(The story of Sacred Heart School in Gervais, Oregon, is included in "Why Small Catholic Schools Succeed," edited by Robert Kealey. The book is available for $10 from the NCEA by calling 202-337-6232 or by visiting the NCEA's website at www.ncea.org.)

(02-11-99) [[In-content Ad]]