FUNDRAISING
EFFORTS

Annual Fund Campaign

This is not an “event,” but a campaign by mail, phone and parish solicitations that raises the critical “edge” money for our school system’s annual operating budget. Tuition and Parish Subsidies simply do not pay the full cost of educating the students in our five schools. The Annual Fund Campaign helps bring the Revenue side of the budget closer to the Expense side without simply increasing tuition. (And campaign contributions are tax deductible while tuition is not, by the way). Annual Fund proceeds are put into the budget of the next fiscal year based on actual dollars received, giving us a real-dollar we can rely on. Each year it is imperative that we increase our campaign goals and achievements to insure we keep up with the rising costs involved in educating our students.

Closing the Gap

This modest campaign, started in March 2006, is simply a small flyer inserted in annual tuition/enrollment packets. It shows the “gap” between the actual per student cost of educating that student for a year and the amount covered by tuition and fees. For the 2007-08 school year, the per student shortfall is $1,230 for elementary students and $1,689 for high school students, the gap between the projected average tuition for one student and the estimated average actual cost of educating that student. And, unlike tuition, this donation is tax-deductible. We ask you to consider “closing the gap” by contributing either the shortfall amount for one student or any amount that fits your budget. This modest campaign has earned Springfield Catholic Schools more than $33,500 of new funding for the 2007-08 school year.

Donor Designated Gifts

Each year we process hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of “unsolicited” gifts that donors choose to make to a particular school, curriculum area, extra-curricular activity, or special projects. These donations always follow the donor’s directive as to their use, be it new playground equipment, library books or a lighting board for the high school theatre. They are gifts to an area of particular interest to the donors, and we are happy to be sure these gifts carry out their intended purpose.

Emerald Evening

October 18, 2008 the Oasis Convention Center will be the site of the Fifteenth Annual Emerald Evening, an event that has not only grown into the biggest fundraising event that Springfield Catholic Schools sponsors, but has also become the biggest one-night educational fundraiser in the entire Ozarks. Our goal for “EE-XV” is to reach $100,000 or more for SCS. There’s no getting around the fact that Emerald Evening is the only truly “pricey” event on our annual calendar. Tickets for the Dinner/Dance/Auction are $100 per person (partially tax-deductible) and optional raffle tickets for a chance to win cash, car, trip, etc. whatever the current year EE Committee decides.

If you are an auction lover, you can spend a few more dollars while getting some great bargains by bidding on everything from mountain bikes to tickets to sports events, from multiple dinner packages to seaside condos. But because of what it accomplishes for our kids, we make no apologies for Emerald Evening’s prices. There are many other school events throughout the year with prices from $1 to $10. Simply put, the proceeds from this wonderful night pay for critical aspects of education that would be otherwise impossible to fund in the operating budget. In past years, the priority for Emerald Evening has been “technology enhancement,” helping our students stay at the cutting-edge of education, from computers and software to licensing and innovative learning materials. Each year the Development Board Fundraising Review Committee studies the needs of the schools as well as the success of the events and makes a recommendation to the Development Board as to what the funds from Emerald Evening will be used for. We anticipate technology will remain as the main objective for the evening event for years to come, however, a portion of the funds may be designated to other needs if the Development Board sees fit.

A unique aspect about “EE” funds is that they are NOT part of the NEXT school year’s budget as are most Development activities. “EE” proceeds are spent in the schools in the very same year they are raised. Simply put, “Emerald Evening equals Immediate Impact.”

New Century Club

Those generous supporters who pay $100 a year to join the New Century Club can expect an invitation to a very special spring evening indeed. When, where, what – all that’s a big secret right now, but you can be sure to have a delightful time as our way of thanking you for your commitment to supporting our growth for the Century to come.

The Next Generation Endowment Campaign

In 2003, the Development Board of Springfield Catholic Schools inaugurated “The Next Generation” Endowment Campaign, to help secure the future of quality Catholic education in Springfield. Particular emphasis was placed on a more competitive salary scale to insure that the highest quality teachers continue to be at the core of our schools. As the Endowment grows, so will the yearly return realized by the operating budget for salaries and other future needs.

We are delighted to report that Phase one of the Campaigns has been concluded and we surpassed our goal of $1.6 million in gifts and pledges in less than a year of the campaign! Phase One plaques are installed in each school to honor the “charter donors” who made this critical endowment fund possible.

The other wonderful news is that an additional $1.5 million-plus in “planned gifts” such as life insurance, bequests and trusts were also made during Phase One, pledges that actually serve to kick-off “Phase Two” of the endowment effort. Phase Two will be much more one-on-one and will focus on how you can secure the long-term future of catholic education in the Ozarks through a variety of methods from insurance to gift annuities. We invite you to prayerfully consider the role you can plan in the lives of generations of young people by your participation in a campaign that will outlive us all.

Pot of Gold Coupon Book

During the first few weeks of school in all five schools, Springfield Catholic School’s “Pot of Gold” coupon books are sold, filled with truly useful coupons for meals, entertainment, even oil changes and lawn care. For many years, we sold a commercially published “Entertainment Book,” but now we offer our very own coupon book with close to 100 coupons with values of more than $2000. With the help of all students and families, we hope to make each year more successful than the previous year. This money goes into the budget of the next fiscal year as an exact dollar figure, providing a firm amount that we can count on for that year’s operating budget – and that’s a nice bit of security!