HELPING TO FUND A CATHOLIC EDUCATION

Transcription

1 HELPING TO FUND A CATHOLIC EDUCATION A Guide to Successfully Promoting the Scholarship Granting Organization Program for Student Enrollment and Donor Tax Credit Scholarships Opportunities PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE OF STEWARDSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE OFFICE OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS For more information contact: Rosemary O Brien robrien@archindy.org Office: (317) Mary McCoy mmccoy@archindy.org Office: (317) Ben Potts bpotts@archindy.org Office: (317)

2 Table of Contents Check List of Best Practices Section 1: Tax Credit Scholarships Organization that oversees Tax Credit Scholarships How and why does Institute for Quality Education (IQE), a Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) function? IQE Administration System (School Portal) Qualifying for Tax Credit Scholarships for Families Family requirements to receive a Tax Credit Scholarship Application Process Parent Information Flyers Understanding how Tax Credit Scholarships Work for Donors Funding Tax Credit Scholarships Who To Invite and How To Approach Donors Donor information packet Donor gift giving steps It s as easy as 1-2-3! Tax Credit Scholarship Donor Thank You Letter Section 2: Promoting Tax Credit Scholarships Archdiocesan Events Advance Regional Events Celebrating Catholic School Values Event (CCSV) Annual Donor Development Calendar How To Get The Message Out To Your School Board, Parish and Parents Section 3: Indiana Choice Scholarship Program Vouchers What are Vouchers? School Voucher Eligibility Requirements Applying for Vouchers Vouchers and Tax Credit Scholarships, how to use them together Section 4: Facts About Catholic Schools In The Archdiocese Of Indianapolis Information to use in your social media communications Appendix Examples 2

3 Check List of Best Practices We hope the toolkit will serve as a resource to you in your work with families and donors. Below is the check list of Best Practices to help guide you through the toolkit allowing you to make the most of the information presented. Our hope is that you are able to copy and paste much of the information into regular communication sources that already exist. Frequently, additional funds are available from generous sponsors support the Celebrating Catholic School Values event. By submitting the form below, you will identify your school as a possible recipient of such funds. The list will also be used as supporting documentation should you decide to submit a letter asking for additional Tax Credit Scholarship funds for your school families. To show a commitment to the following best practices for engagement in fundraising efforts, at least six items of action must be marked to qualify for additional funding. Please mark an x on the lines for your participation in the toolkit best practices. Best Practices Identify a person who will manage the scholarship program Contact past donors to discuss the new program caps and to ask them to consider another contribution Share the message with donors on the Tax Credit Scholarships program Prepare donor packets for prospects Visit IQE school portal weekly for new gifts Make a phone call to donor to say thank you for gift Send donor a personal thank you within 48 hours after a gift is received Attend one of the Advanced Events Recruit a team captain from your school Invite donors to attend the CCSV event Promote the opening of new fiscal Tax Credit year Communicate messages from the Annual Donor Calendar to your constituents School Name: Principal Name: Principal Signature: 3

4 Section 1 Tax Credit Scholarships Organization that oversees Tax Credit Scholarships Indiana s Tax Credit Scholarship program was created in 2009 as a way to give families who meet income guidelines an opportunity to send their child (ren) to a participating private school like your Catholic school. Tax Credit Scholarship donations are accepted by the Institute for Quality Education (IQE), our Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO). The gifts can only be given for tuition assistance at private schools to help the families who meet the guidelines for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunches. By participating in Indiana s Tax Credit Scholarship program, your school has the opportunity to provide a Catholic education to children and families who might otherwise have struggled to afford such an option. The program is called Tax Credit Scholarship because all donations are eligible for a fifty-percent (50%) state Tax Credit. However, in order to offer students an opportunity to attend the school through this program, funding must be made available by individual donors or corporations who are committed to providing children and families a choice for the type of education received. These scholarships are different from Indiana Choice Scholarship Voucher program, which allows eligible families to redirect their child s education funding from the state to be used as tuition at a participating private school. (See Vouchers in Section 3 for more information.) How and why does Institute for Quality Education (IQE), a Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) function? The Institute for Quality Education (IQE) is one of five approved Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) in Indiana. At this time, all Archdiocese of Indianapolis schools utilize IQE as their scholarship granting organization. Every school in the archdiocese has an IQE account for students in grades K-12 that meet the income eligibility guidelines (see chart below). Appendix 1 4

5 Each school works with IQE to determine the scholarship amount for each of the three levels of Free and Reduced Lunch. All children in each level are awarded the same scholarship amount. An example of this could be the following: After considering the business finances of St. Mary s school, the principal and business manager decided to allocate the Tax Credit Scholarship amount in each of the three income levels to families. Three examples follow: The Smith family of 5 (2 adults, 3 children) are eligible at the 100% of Free and Reduced Lunch based on their income of $52,559. The school has awarded each Smith child a $1,000 Tax Credit Scholarship (as all families in this level). The Jones family of 7 (1 adult, 6 children) are eligible at the 150% of Free and Reduced Lunch based on their income of $101,926. The school has awarded each Jones child a $1,200 Tax Credit Scholarship (as all families in this level). The Bakers family of 3 (2 adults, 1 child) are eligible at the 200% of Free and Reduced Lunch based on their income of $74,333. The school has awarded the Baker child a $1,500 Tax Credit Scholarship (as all families in this level). Since all archdiocesan schools have already taken the first step of establishing an IQE account, the school can begin to accept school designated gifts that will be used to fund the Tax Credit Scholarships. As funds are received from generous donors, they become available to the school for disbursement to eligible families. Funds are disbursed to the school directly for each participating child (though a specific child cannot be named as the recipient). The school can request disbursement of funds monthly (not weekly) or schedule payments that fit the school s preference. All donations can be view in real-time through the school s IQE portal. (See Funding Tax Credit Scholarships later in this section for more information.) IQE Administration System (School Portal) IQE s Administration System is an online School Portal where each school manages applications, donations and disbursements regarding the Tax Credit Scholarship Program. Logging into the School Portal 1. At this step each school has identified a point person who will manage the scholarship program. IQE has ed the person a specific URL to create an account. If there is a change in the point person, send the new name to IQE. 2. Once the account has been created, the users will visit to log into the school s profile using the same address and password used to create the account. 3. Schools will have the ability to invite an associate user who will have access to view the school s information but will not be able to perform any actions. Managing Applications: Applications can be submitted in two formats: 1. School administrators may submit school initiated applications through the School Portal. 5

6 2. The school can give the families a copy of the application for completion if they do not have internet access. The school must process the paper application online. IQE will no longer process paper scholarship applications. No matter the manner in which an application is submitted, strict deadlines are in place for applications using the schedule which follows: Applications for Fall semester students are due by December 15 th of every year. (example for 2016/17 school year applications are due by December 15 th, 2016) Application for the Spring semester are due by March 31 st of every year. (example for 2016/17 school year applications are due no later than March 31 st, 2017) Since a family income can fluctuate the application must be updated every year. Managing Donations: Donors may be directed to to process their donations. After the gift is processed, the school can see the designated gift by selecting the Donation tab. Managing Disbursements: To request a disbursement and view past disbursement history, select the Disbursement tab. The school can request disbursement of funds monthly or schedule payments that fit the school s preference. Qualifying for Tax Credit Scholarships for Families Family Requirements to receive a Tax Credit Scholarship To qualify for a Tax Credit Scholarship a student must meet all of the following requirements: 1. Be a resident of Indiana 2. Child attended public school the previous year (two semesters) OR received a Tax Credit Scholarship or Voucher the previous school year. 3. Family is at least 200% or below the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Income Guidelines (See Appendix 1) Application Process IQE will support two application submission processes: 1) School-initiated: Schools are able to submit applications on behalf of the eligible families from the School Portal. The schools can do so with the information they possess in-house or with the information on the paper completed by the family. At the time of submission, schools will be asked to report how the family s income information was verified as well as the scholarship amount they wish to award to the student. (Note: if the application is initiated by the school, families will not be given access to an online account as they would if they initiated the application process). School-initiated applications will be sent directly to IQE for review. 2) Families-initiated: Families are able to create a password-protected account and complete a profile once invited (via a unique URL shared via an in-person meeting, letter or ) to apply by the partnering school. Within the system the families can submit an 6

7 application for their child (ren). If they have more than one child, they can submit an application for each, and if their children are enrolled in more than one school, they can still submit the applications all at one time. Eligible families should be directed to sgo.i4qed.org/apply to create an account and submit an application. If the application is submitted by the family, it will first appear within the School Portal in the school s queue and marked for review. Once the school has verified the information and approved the application, it is sent to the IQE for final review. Once approved, the application will be marked approved and the school will be asked to notify the family. The applications for both submission processes can be found within the School Portal home page. Click on the Application tab at the top then scroll down to Application Manual. Parent Information Flyers While Tax Credit Scholarships are gaining more media coverage, many parents still struggle to understand how they can afford a Catholic School education. The documents listed below are tools that can help you explain how such an opportunity is available. How Can We Afford Catholic School (see section 3, Appendix 10 for eligibility) 7

8 Understanding how Tax Credit Scholarships Work for Donors Through the Indiana State Tax Credit Scholarship, an individual can realize a significant tax credit which increases their likelihood of a larger gift. Sample cards are below to help illustrate how this is possible. The cards are an excellence resource when explaining the Tax Credit to a potential donor. These cards can be used in your school newsletter, parish bulletins, and other forms of parish/school communication targeting donors. A few examples of the significant Tax Credit benefits are illustrated in the $1,000 and $10,000 examples below: Appendix 2 8

9 Appendix 3 9

10 Funding Tax Credit Scholarships The scholarships are named as such because donors who provide funding for Tax Credit Scholarships often enjoy the tax benefits as a gift through a 50 percent state Tax Credit. Donors who qualify are eligible to take advantage of a 50 percent credit against their state tax liability as well as claim the gift up to a 35 percent federal tax deduction. It is extremely important to communicate to donors that the school is making them aware of this opportunity, but they should always check with their tax professional. Many of the questions received about donor Tax Credit are addressed below: Those with an Indiana tax liability will receive a 50 percent credit against their taxes. Donors may be eligible for up to a 35 percent federal tax deduction. An individual or corporation can donate by check, stock/securities or credit/debit card. There are no limits to how much or how often a donor can contribute. Unused tax credit may be carried forward for up to nine years. No refunds are available for unused credits. No more than $9.5 million in Tax Credit Scholarships may be awarded through the program during the state fiscal year (July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017). Donors may direct their donation to fund scholarships at a specific school(s) but not a specific student. Program caps: The total amount of tax credits is $19 million for fiscal year Since there is a 50 percent tax credit given to the donor, $9.5 million is available for donor gifts to schools starting July 1 st, The benefits of asking for Tax Credit Scholarships early in the fiscal year is that the program has been in place since This means your school is likely to have past donors that you can contact to discuss the new program caps. Many donors appreciate that you have taken the time to communicate this information with them. This conversation helps to cultivate the relationship and is a low-pressure opportunity to ask the donor to consider another contribution. Who to Invite and How to Approach Donors When determining who to invite to consider a gift designated for your school, you are encouraged to consider the following groups of individuals: Previous donors (check the School Portal for past giving details) Supporters of the school s Annual Appeal Parents, grandparents and alumni living in the state of Indiana Individuals who give in-kind gifts to the school A volunteer and staff generated target list of new potential donors After you have a target contact list, the next steps are determining how to share the message about the Tax Credit Scholarships with the donor. Many schools have found that the easiest way to introduce this opportunity is through the Celebrating Catholic School Values Event and the Advance Regional Events hosted by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. You can introduce the idea in the following ways but are not limited to: 10

11 Schedule face-to-face meetings Invite donors to your school Invite potential donors to events Invite parish community to a school mass/followed by a reception Announce at Sunday Masses Place Tax Credit Scholarship information in school office and church Communicate information with alumni Donor Information Packet Donors like to have pieces they can walk away from a meeting with as they discern whether or not to make a gift. The Office of Stewardship and Development and Office of Catholic Education have numerous marketing materials that can simply be printed and used. It is not recommended that you provide a prospective donor all the following information at once. Instead consider handing out just two or three of the following: $1,000 Tax Credit Scholarship Card (Appendix 2) $10,000 Tax Credit Scholarship Card (Appendix 3) IQE Donation Form (Appendix 4) Thank You letter (Appendix 5) Bulletin Announcement (Appendix 6 and 9) CCSV 2017 Flyer (Appendix 7) Sponsorship Benefits (Appendix 8) Facts about Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis (Appendix 11) All of the documents are available online for the school to download and use. They can be found on and select Public Resources. 11

12 Donor Gift Giving Steps It s as easy as 1-2-3! When a donor is ready to make a gift, a few steps are required to ensure that the school receives the designated funding and that the donor receives receipt of their donation for tax purposes. Advise donors to follow these three easy steps for making a gift: Fill out the IQE donation form or visit to donate online. Those with an Indiana tax liability will receive a 50 percent credit against their taxes. Donors may be eligible for up to a 35 percent federal tax deduction. An individual or business can donate by check, stock/securities or credit/debit card. There are no limits to how much or how often a donor can contribute. Unused tax credits may be carried forward for up to nine years. No refunds are available for unused credits. No more than $9.5 million in tax credits may be awarded through the program during the fiscal year (July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017). Donors may direct their donation to fund scholarships at a specific school(s) but not a specific student. The donor can mail the completed IQE donation form along with their check or stock/security information to: Institute for Quality Education 101 W. Ohio St, Suite 700 Indianapolis, IN In order to receive a 50 percent tax credit the donor must give through IQE. Giving a cash, stock or security gift directly to the Archdiocese of Indianapolis or Catholic Community Foundation will not qualify for the 50 percent tax credit. The Institute for Quality Education (IQE) is a 501(c) 3 charitable organization authorized by the state of Indiana to administer the Tax Credit Scholarship program. IQE partners with eligible schools to raise funds and award scholarships to eligible students in grades K-12. Receiving the tax credit certification number and a receipt for each donation. Upon receipt of a completed donor form and donation, IQE will request donor s tax credit certification number from the Indiana Department of Revenue. Typically, 7-10 business days after receiving the donation, IQE will mail the donor a tax credit certification number to be used when filing their state taxes and a letter of receipt for their donation. 12

13 Appendix 4 13

14 Tax Credit Scholarship Donor Thank You Opportunities IQE has provided a great tool for schools to access donor gifts in real-time through the School Portal. It is a fundraising best practice to send a personal thank you within 48 hours. A few additional ideas include: Visit the School Portal weekly to download list of donors. Send a thank you note via or hand written card. A sample thank you letter is available in Appendix. Make a phone call to the donor to say thank you even a voic lets them know you are aware of the gift. Include a thank you card from a student. The card should not identify the student s name, but it should include the grade level of the child. Appendix 5 14

15 Section 2 Events Promoting Tax Credit Scholarships Events Indiana s innovative Tax Credit Scholarship program has provided more than 2,200 students a quality Catholic education. In many cases these students are from families who could not afford to attend our schools. The Office of Catholic Schools and the Office of Stewardship and Development will hold two Advance Regional Events in September, one in central Indiana and one in southern Indiana, as part of Celebrating Catholic School Values (CCSV) Event. The objective of the meetings is to partner with and help school administrators, especially in elementary schools, gather donors together to discuss the benefits of the tax credit to the donor and highlight how gifts made in this manner significantly impact a school s ability to educate more students seeking a Catholic education. As a ministry of the parish, most Catholic Schools abide by the archdiocesan best practice of the parish subsidy not exceeding 25-35% of the Sunday and Holy Day collections. Schools needing tuition assistance beyond this amount are strongly encouraged to use multiple outlets for promoting the Tax Credits including the Advance Regional Events. By inviting and joining potential donors at the Advance Regional Events you allow experts to talk about the details of the program (to the donor and the student) with a soft invite for those in attendance to consider supporting Catholic education. Advance Regional Events: Opportunities to increase donor attendance Moving a person from awareness to action often means an individual needs to be exposed to information 7-15 times. This means as a school leader seeking funding dollars, it is critical that you share the message of the need and an opportunity to fund that need as often as possible. To make such an impact you are strongly encouraged to recruit a team captain from your school to help disburse information to all of the constituents. In many cases, much of the material is already written and just needs to be copied/pasted into the appropriate communication channels. To Recruit Team Captains identify people with strong communication skills from the following areas: School commissions Parent Teacher Organization Past Donors Parishioners with a commitment for Catholic education A Team Captain s Role: Promote the Advance Regional Events and Celebrating Catholic School Values Event through advertising in parish and school newsletters, via E- blasts and bulletin announcements (Appendix 7), posting on social media, publishing information on the parish and school website, and through personal letters Register online to attend an Event and welcome the prospects coming from your school Follow up with donors to confirm attendees 15

16 We believe we have one of the best Catholic school systems in the country, but it is becoming more difficult every day to support it and to make it even better. Corporate, foundation and individual support are absolutely necessary for the success of the schools. Since 1996, the Celebrating Catholic School Values Event (CCSV): has been the premier event each year to showcase Catholic schools as community assets to the corporate community, to honor an outstanding group of alumni for their career accomplishments, and to honor friends of Catholic schools for their community service. We are pleased to announce that the Twenty-First Annual CCSV Event will be held on February 9, 2017 in the Grand Hall, Union Station, downtown Indianapolis. Donors giving through the tax credits and program sponsors are cordially invited to the CCSV Event as a thank you for supporting Catholic education. In 2015 $5.6 million was raised through the tax credits to help more students in low and moderate income families to be able to attend a Catholic school of their choice. Appendix 7 16

17 Appendix 8 17

18 Year-round communication is important to ensure that all constituents are aware of how grateful your school community is for the support received through the Tax Credit Scholarships. You are encouraged to communicate with the following groups using the Annual Donor Development Calendar: Previous donors (check the School Portal for past giving details) Supporters of the school s Annual Appeal Parents, grandparents and alumni living in the state of Indiana Individuals who give in-kind gifts to the school Create a target list of new potential donors Annual Donor Development Calendar July Promote the Opening of new fiscal Tax Credit year (July 1) $9.5 million Create Invitation List for Advance Regional Events Attendees (potential and current tax credit donors) which are hosted by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Contact Rosemary O Brien for more information on these events. August Back to School Night: announce Tax Credit Scholarship program Post flyers, bulletin inserts, school newsletters: Promote Opening Tax Credit $9.5 million Send invitations to Advance Regional attendees to be held in September. Contact Rosemary O Brien for more information on these events. Announce CCSV Event: February 9, 2017 September Communicate the school need for Tax Credit Scholarships Solidify Advance Regional Event attendees Promote CCSV Event February 9, 2017 October Promote CCSV Event February 9, 2017 Create a list of current and potential CCSV attendees Thank Advance Regional Event attendees for attending November Remind donors to include Tax Credit gift in their year-end donations Gratitude & Thanksgiving: send Thanksgiving message to past and current donors Send out CCSV Event Invitations to current Tax Credit donors February 9, 2017 December Send student created Christmas message to donors Insert student created thank you to parishioners in Sunday Bulletin Push, Remind, Encourage End of Year Tax Credit donation by December 31 st (last day for current year tax credit) Invite new December Tax Credit donors to CCSV Event February 9,

19 January Thank all donors to the school for past year donations during Catholic Schools Week Confirm CCSV Event Attendee count February 9, 2017 Inform new school families about the Tax Credit Scholarship program February Send student made Valentine cards to all current donors Confirm final attendee count for CCSV Event February 9, 2017 March Begin communicating with stakeholders and donors about school need for next year s scholarships April Invite all current donors to Mass and breakfast Update donor list May Send principal letter to all donors celebrating the 3 great things that have taken place this school year due to their generosity Invite all donors to celebrate the Graduates and end of the school years June Inform and educate all stakeholders on updates and/or changes to the Tax Credit Scholarship Program How to get the message out to your school board, parish and parents Word of Mouth take every opportunity to present the Tax Credit benefits Facebook posting every month Twitter heighten the awareness of the donor benefits twice a month E-blast send to multiple groups to create awareness of the program Bulletin Announcements (Appendix 6 and 9) School Newsletters: insert once a month 19

20 Appendix 9 20

21 Section 3 Indiana Choice Scholarship Program Vouchers? What are Vouchers? A voucher (Indiana Choice Scholarship) is a state-funded scholarship that helps cover the costs of tuition at a private school. Qualifying students in grades K-12 can receive up to 90% of the local per-student state funding amount. School Voucher Eligibility Requirements The private school is responsible for determining whether the student meets the eligibility requirements (see below). To be eligible, a student must meet the following requirements: Be a resident of Indiana Be accepted for enrollment into a participating voucher school that is located in Indiana Be between the ages of 5 and 22 no later than August 1 of the school year Meet the income requirements And meet at least one of the following: Child attended a public school the full previous school year and is entering 1 st grader or higher Child is assigned to attend an F rated public school based on residence for the coming school year. Child has a sibling who received a school voucher or tax credit scholarships at any time in their K-12 education. Child has documented IEP or ISP Child received a school voucher during any previous school year. Child received a school voucher the year before and would like to re-apply for a school voucher. Child received a Tax Credit Scholarship from an approved SGO during any previous school year. If eligible, families will apply for the school voucher with the school that has accepted their child for enrollment. Final voucher eligibility is determined by the Indiana Department of Education based on your completed application. If eligible, families will apply for the school voucher with the school that has accepted their child for enrollment. Final voucher eligibility is determined by the Indiana Department of Education based on your completed application. 21

22 Applying for an Indiana Choice Scholarship Program Vouchers Review the eligibility requirements of the program. Review the income guidelines of the program. Apply to a participating school that you would like your student to attend. The application window for the school year runs from February 26, 2016 through September 1, Work with the participating school to complete the application. The application will be completed by the family and the school via a password-protected website that only school administrators have access to. The family will be asked to provide eligibility information for enrollment and income verification. If a student is approved for a Choice Scholarship Award, the school will provide the parent/guardian with a copy of the Award Letter to the time the student s application is approved. This Ward Letter will detail the estimated amount of the scholarship. Please save this letter for the school records. How to Use Vouchers and Tax Credit Scholarships Together It is acceptable to take advantage of both funding sources to ensure that families can afford a Catholic education for the child. You can use a Tax Credit Scholarship to close the gap between the school s tuition and the Voucher amount awarded to the child. This is determined on a school by school basis. Below is a resource for parents that answers questions on the Tax Credit Scholarships and Indiana School Vouchers. Understanding these two programs will help parents determine if they can afford a Catholic school. Appendix 10 22

23 Section 4 FACTS ABOUT CATHOLIC SCHOOLS IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF INDIANAPOLIS We encourage you to utilize social media to spread the good news and good works of Catholic Schools (figures highlighted in yellow will be updated upon availability) 1. This is the 21 st year of the Celebrating Catholic School Values Event. 2. Over $20.5 million in tuition assistance has been raised for deserving Catholic school families from the 20 previous events. 3. Over $5.6 million in Indiana Tax Credit Scholarships and event sponsorships were celebrated at the 2015 event. 4. Our 69 Catholic schools educate over 23,800 students. 5. Our 69 Catholic schools have over 2,000 dedicated teachers. 6. Over 2,300 students received Indiana Tax Credit Scholarships through the IQE Scholarship Granting Organization last year. 7. More than 95% of Catholic high school graduates in the archdiocese go on to college. 8. Our schools serve over 1,800 students with learning differences % of our Catholic schools received either an A or B grade from the Indiana Department of Education in Our schools prepare students to be productive citizens and future leaders. 11. Our Catholic schools consistently outperform public schools on the ISTEP Over 7,700 of our students currently receive a state voucher. 13. The average tuition is $5,500 in an archdiocesan elementary school 14. The average tuition is $9,600 in an archdiocesan high school. 15. The archdiocese has 47 preschool programs. 16. Archdiocesan-supported Notre Dame ACE Academies (previously known as Mother Theodore Catholic Academies) educate approximately 1,000 students in our center city area National Blue Ribbon schools since Our Catholic schools prepare students for college, careers and heaven % of the students in our Notre Dame ACE Academies (previously known as Mother Theodore Catholic Academies) are eligible for financial assistance. 20. On average 91% of our schools were classified as A or B schools over the past 5 years. 21. Every high school student in the archdiocese participates in service hours. 22. All archdiocesan schools are accredited by AdvancED and the state of Indiana. Appendix 11 23

24 Appendix 1 24

25 Appendix 2. 25

26 Appendix 3 26

27 Appendix 4 27

28 Appendix 5 Date Dear (Name), We would like to thank you, not only for the gift of (amount), but also for your support and prayers for (School Name). Your gift to the Institute for Quality Education will help students now and in the future. So many good things have happened at (School Name) because of the continued generosity from people like you. On behalf of the students both present and in the future, thank you for your support. We are very fortunate to have friends such as you. We will also remember you in our prayers as you have done for us. May God bless you. Sincerely, Name Father Pastor Name Principal 28

29 Appendix 6 29

30 Appendix 7 30

31 Appendix 8 31

32 Appendix 9 32

33 Appendix 10 33

34 Appendix 11 FACTS ABOUT CATHOLIC SCHOOLS IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF INDIANAPOLIS We encourage you to utilize social media to spread the good news and good works of Catholic Schools (figures highlighted in yellow will be updated upon availability) 1. This is the 21 st year of the Celebrating Catholic School Values Event. 2. Over $20.5 million in tuition assistance has been raised for deserving Catholic school families from the 20 previous events. 3. Over $5.6 million in Indiana Tax Credit Scholarships and event sponsorships were celebrated at the 2015 event. 4. Our 69 Catholic schools educate over 23,800 students. 5. Our 69 Catholic schools have over 2,000 dedicated teachers. 6. Over 2,300 students received Indiana Tax Credit Scholarships through the IQE Scholarship Granting Organization last year. 7. More than 95% of Catholic high school graduates in the archdiocese go on to college. 8. Our schools serve over 1,800 students with learning differences % of our Catholic schools received either an A or B grade from the Indiana Department of Education in Our schools prepare students to be productive citizens and future leaders. 11. Our Catholic schools consistently outperform public schools on the ISTEP Over 7,700 of our students currently receive a state voucher. 13. The average tuition is $5,500 in an archdiocesan elementary school 14. The average tuition is $9,600 in an archdiocesan high school. 15. The archdiocese has 47 preschool programs. 16. Archdiocesan-supported Notre Dame ACE Academies (previously known as Mother Theodore Catholic Academies) educate approximately 1,000 students in our center city area National Blue Ribbon schools since Our Catholic schools prepare students for college, careers and heaven % of the students in our Notre Dame ACE Academies (previously known as Mother Theodore Catholic Academies) are eligible for financial assistance. 20. On average 91% of our schools were classified as A or B schools over the past 5 years. 21. Every high school student in the archdiocese participates in service hours. 22. All archdiocesan schools are accredited by AdvancED and the state of Indiana. 34