Written by Frank Donaldson, president, Institute of School and Parish Development (ISPD), frank@ispdconsulting.com
For many years, Catholic schools have attempted to balance their budget on tuition, subsidies and fundraisers. For many, this has worked; for others, this has not. Some have had to close their doors because raising tuition was not a long-term answer, and schools can only “nickel and dime” parents, parishioners, alumni, past parents, grandparents, etc., so much.
We have been operating in a transactional manner, not relational. Here are two tips as you look to advance and develop:
- Build your advancement-development-stewardship efforts around a culture of belonging.
- Make the move from a “transactional” modus operandi into a “relational” one.
Let’s look at why and how this can be done.
From Transactions to Relationships
Our Catholic schools have a “buy/sell” way of thinking. “I am going to sell you a raffle ticket; I am going to sell you the sponsorship to the 18th hole of our golf tournament; I am going to sell you a plant at the plant booth of the fair; I am going to sell you a table at the school gala; I am going to sell you 12 bags of mulch for your spring garden; I am going to sell you tickets for your children to ride the rides at the school fair; I am going to sell you 6 boxes of Heath candy bars…” And the list goes on and on. That is transactional. Many ask the question: Should this be discontinued? We say NO. However, Catholic school leaders need always to “pipeline” their constituents to ensure they are not “nickel and diming” them to death. As our good friend Father Jim Manning in Springboro, OH, says, “If you don’t know what Bubba in the pew and Polly in the parking lot are thinking, then you could be heading for trouble.”
Belonging Leads to Believing
There is a shift that needs to be taken, and it is difficult because of the “buy/sell” way many Catholic schools have been operating. However, this shift is built around four words: “Belonging leads to believing.” This is relational. Does your Catholic school have a vision for the future that is compelling—one that excites you? One where all the messengers share the same message, and numerous people have a voice in suggesting possibilities for the leaders to consider? Henri Nouwen says it best, “Vision gives us the courage to tell our story when we otherwise may have remained silent.” The Annual Fund invites people to invest; the capital campaign invites people to invest; an endowment campaign invites people to invest in the future; major donor portfolios invite people to invest. Planned and memorial giving opportunities invite people to invest. However, BEFORE we can invite people to invest, we must invite them to belong. “People give to people.”
There are so many ways to make that happen—strategic planning efforts, national advisory boards, principal/pastor cabinets, input/listening sessions, cup-of-coffee meetings, principal coffees, neighborhood gatherings, annual fund chairs, school convocations, development advisory boards, plus much more. At the Institute for School and Parish Development (ISPD), we call this the 7Is of Catholic School Development: Identify • Inform • Invite • Involve • Implement • Invest • Improve.
And, that 6th I (Invest) does not always mean $$$. Many can invest their wisdom, their connections, their talents and skills and, yes, their financial resources. They invest all of this much better when they have a strong sense of belonging.
The Power of Personal Invitation
We are quick to jump to that 6th I—Invest—and “ask” people to “make a gift, cut a check, consider a donation.” We seem to forget the most important I in the formula—Invite. This is the tough one, simply because it takes time and individual effort. Using the word Invite, we don’t mean putting out social media posts or e-mails or website announcements saying, “Anyone interested in (whatever the cause) please contact the school office.” That does not work, and your phone will not ring off the hook, nor will your e-mailbox fill up.
The personal invitation is just that—extending an invitation to someone or a couple to sit down with you (president, principal, pastor, advancement director, etc.) and have a conversation about the school, its future and what role they would consider playing in the future. There are very few people who will turn down the invitation from the principal who says, “Barbara, as we move into a new school year and plan for the future, there are some initiatives we have been discussing as administration and board. As principal, I have selected eight (8) people I would like to have a conversation with to pick your brain and seek your best wisdom in regard to how best move forward on these initiatives. Can we find some time in the next week or so to have lunch or a cup of coffee and discuss these topics so I can get your input and opinion?” These conversations are often the beginning of a wonderful relationship. You are inviting people to belong.
Transactional vs Relational. Begin or continue to make the switch. The very life of your Catholic school depends upon it.
Don’t miss Frank Donaldson’s new book, now available!
The future of Catholic education depends on the strength of the village we build today. Let us embrace the cadence, sustain the mission and ensure that our Catholic schools remain places of faith, excellence and community for generations to come.
The Cadence of Catholic School Development/Advancement is a powerful reflection on sustaining the mission of Catholic education.
Frank Donaldson is the president of the Institute of School and Parish Development (ISPD), a national development consulting firm created to serve Catholic schools, parishes and dioceses in the areas of planning, marketing, enrollment management and resource development. In 1988, after 20 years of being a classroom teacher and a development director, Frank started ISPD and is a speaker, consultant and writer. Frank has facilitated hundreds of long-range planning processes, established numerous development offices, trained hundreds of development directors and raised millions of dollars for Catholic institutions. He is the author of 25 Lessons Learned in 25+ Years in Catholic School Development and an accompanying Workbook; 15 More Lessons Learned in 30+ Years in Catholic School Development; Adapting to Change: Successful Catholic School Development in a Virtual, Person-to-Person, or Hybrid World. In mid-June, Frank’s newest book, The Cadence of Catholic School Development/Advancement: Connecting the Dots, will be published by NCEA.
