Benchmarking for Success

We specialize in institutional advancement for Catholic secondary schools and have been working in this important market segment for over twenty years. Over that period of time, we have gained invaluable experience and have compiled some statistics.

We also make certain to stay current with market data. In that regard, I highly recommend that you read and become familiar with the findings in Dollars and Sense – Catholic High Schools and their Finances. It is an excellent compilation of market data and statistics relating to Catholic high schools. It was done by the Secondary Schools Dept. of the NCEA.

From Dollars and Sense, we know that the average annual fund goal in ’08-’09 was $476,000 and that the average alumni participation rate was 14% – how does your annual fund compare to those national statistics? Is there room for improvement?

We know from our capital campaign work that in Catholic high schools, over 70% of the campaign financial goal will come from the top 10 to 15 commitments. Do you know who your top 15 major gift giving prospects are? Do you know what their financial potential is? Do you know what element of your school they are most interested in funding? Have you involved them in any way in your institution? When was the last time you spoke to them?

We know from our work with Catholic schools that an increased focus on development is critically required and that many schools are in the process of upgrading their overall institutional advancement efforts in terms of sophistication and strategy. Where does your school stand in this regard?

These are just a few important facts that you must be aware of if you are going to reach your school’s philanthropic potential. Good luck and keep asking!