Fundraising guide

BLESSED TRINITY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL FUNDRAISING GUIDE

FUNDRAISING POLICY When you arrive at Blessed Trinity, you become part of a community that embraces you as part of its family.

Our mission depends on every member of this family contributing above and beyond tuition to ensure that we are able to continue to offer students an exceptional education. The following guide was created to help define and prioritize fundraising expectations at Blessed Trinity.

At Blessed Trinity, all gifts are unrestricted. Donors are able to direct their gift to nine different areas of the operating budget: Technology and Innovation, Curriculum and Instruction, Financial Aid, Faculty and Professional Development, Athletics, Fine Arts, Campus Ministry, Clubs & Organizations and Areas of Greatest Need. The Advancement and Business offices keep track of all “directed gifts” and thank the donors accordingly.

Should directed contributions exceed a fund’s budgeted limit, the school designates the use of such funds to the Areas of Greatest Need.

Any additional fundraising projects for any program must have the written consent of the Blessed Trinity administration and Office of Advancement.

Annual Fund

ALL-SCHOOL EFFORTS

Your Annual Fund donation is the most important gift you give to Blessed Trinity each year. At Blessed Trinity, tuition revenues cover the basic operations of the school. Additional requested budget items can only be funded through a successful Annual Fund campaign. Academic programming, student activities, faculty development and technology upgrades benefit from the Annual Fund. We rely on gifts from the entire school community including: current parents, alumni, alumni families, grandparents, faculty and staff, and other friends. A Catholic education is an investment and an opportunity to be fully involved in your student’s campus experience. Although tuition is not tax-deductible, contributions to the Annual Fund may be deducted from your taxes.

Each year, we set a monetary goal and a participation goal, which are both of equal importance. The monetary goal provides the funds which are directed to where the school needs them most while the participation goal sends a message to the greater community as to the amount of support the school receives. Foundations often look to this percentage rate to discern whether or not they will direct their support to Blessed Trinity. They want to know that the entire community believes in our mission enough to support it. In this respect, you can clearly see that no matter the amount, all gifts are important.

All Annual Fund donations are used during that particular school year.

Capital Campaign

Periodic capital campaigns raise additional non-operating funds for major efforts like new construction of campus facilities, acquisition of large and expensive capital items and funding our endowment. These funds can significantly enhance and improve facilities which will keep Blessed Trinity at the forefront of a competitive educational marketplace.

Unlike gifts to the Annual Fund, pledges and donations for capital campaigns can be structured over several years and are not always spent in the year the donation is made.

ANNUAL FUND RECOGNITION LEVELS Blessed Trinity Founder Leadership Circle The Shield Titan Principal’s Circle Millenium Green & Gold Benefactor Friends

$100,000+ $20,000-99,000 $10,000-19,999 $5,000-9,999 $2,500-4,999 $1,000-2,499 $500-$999 $250-499 any amount up to $250

All donors who contribute above the $2,500 level are considered Major Donors and will be recognized as such

Endowment As part of Blessed Trinity’s first Capital Campaign in 2011, an endowment was established. Each year, ten percent of all donations will be earmarked for the endowment. Funds in the endowment may never be used for operational budget items. The endowment is the school’s savings account to provide long term financial stability. Proceeds from the investment of endowment funds are earmarked for Campus Ministry initiatives, faculty development and financial aid.

Planned Giving

Planned giving allows donors to continue having an impact at Blessed Trinity, beyond their lifetime. It also allows donors to make larger gifts that might not otherwise be possible. It also may allow donors to increase their retirement income and receive tax advantages as an important part of their own estate planning.

It is easy to make a Planned Gift. If you have already named Blessed Trinity in your Will or other estate plans, please let us know by contacting the Office of Advancement. If you have not already made Blessed Trinity a part of your estate planning, we would be happy to speak with you about what methods of giving could work for your unique circumstances.

WHAT

Annual Fund

SCHOOL FUNDRAISING AT A GLANCE

FREQUENCY WHAT IT DOES

Every year

Capital Campaign As needed Planned Giving

Once

Provides additional funds allowing BT to expand its budget Funds needs of the school which are too large to be budgeted for annually Helps insure the financial future of the school

WHAT IT FUNDS Variety of school operating expenses Campus additions and facilities improvements Donor’s intentions

PARENT-ORGANIZATION FUNDRAISING

Blessed Trinity is compliant with the Archdiocesan guidelines and best practices for all fundraising. Per these guidelines and the Blessed Trinity policy, all fundraising activities are run through the Office of Advancement or are sanctioned exclusively through the parent organizations. These organizations are listed below. Any additional fundraising activities must be approved by the Blessed Trinity administration and Office of Advancement.

Athletic Association

Home & School

The Blessed Trinity Athletic Association (BTAA) exists to promote the growth of all our athletic programs and the involvement of all BT families during their student’s athletic experience. The BTAA mission is to offer financial and volunteer support for all student-athletes attending Blessed Trinity.

The Home and School Association (HAS) strives to improve the overall quality of campus life and spiritual life by providing programs and activities that encourage participation by the whole school community. HAS provides hospitality, refreshments and services to parents, students and faculty for school wide events.

At Blessed Trinity, there are no individual sport booster clubs. Blessed Trinity is one school with one athletic department funding ALL student athletes’ needs.

The BTAA raises funds through an annual membership drive, a golf/tennis tournament, a student-led Coke product sale and annual physicals. Funds from the BTAA are used for officials’ fees, team transportation, team uniforms, weight room upgrades, entry fees, upkeep and improvements to grounds and equipment... whatever the coaches and teams NEED based on their budgets.

HAS sponsors: BT Mom’s Connect Catholic Schools Week BT Blood Drive Book Club Used Book Sale

Fine Arts Association

The Blessed Trinity Fine Arts Association (FAA) is a group of dedicated parents and faculty with a common goal to promote the Fine Arts community through volunteerism and financial support. Funds are generated through memberships and activities and are used to enhance the students experience in the Fine Arts Department through curriculum enrichment, repair and purchase of new instruments, funding of guest artists, upkeep of theater and lighting equipment, framing and permanent artwork display maintenance, sponsoring of student spirit events, and awarding of summer student scholarships.

G.R.A.C.E. Scholars, Inc.

OTHER WAYS TO GIVE

Blessed Trinity Catholic High School participates in the G.R.A.C.E. Scholars program, a state-approved Student Scholarship Organization (SSO) established by the Archdiocese of Atlanta. In 2008, the state of Georgia passed legislation which allows Georgia residents to re-direct a portion of their state income taxes to a private school of their choice for use in providing financial aid to qualifying students.

Employer United Way Campaigns

Many people work at companies where they strongly encourage participation in their United Way Campaigns. At many companies those donations can be directed to Blessed Trinity rather than to agencies within the United Way. If you already participate in a United Way Campaign at your work, please ask if your donations can be directed to Blessed Trinity.

GIVE AT NO COST TO YOU! Employer/Employee Matching Gift Programs

Employer / Employee matching gift programs help many Blessed Trinity donors increase their gifts to the school. There is a list of current Matching Gift companies on the Blessed Trinity website. Please check to see if your employer is a participant. If your employer is not on the list we encourage you to contact your HR department and see if a matching gift program exists.

Kroger

Visit Kroger.com and register your Kroger Plus Card. Then log into your Account Summary and scroll down to the box entitled Community Rewards where you can edit your beneficiary organization. The Kroger number for Blessed Trinity is 43493

Publix

Publix shoppers can use their Publix Partners Cards when shopping. Present your card to the cashier upon checkout and a portion of the sale will go back to Blessed Trinity. Cards are available through the Office of Advancement

AmazonSmile

Shop at smile.amazon.com and Amazon will donate 0.5 percent of the purchase price to Blessed Trinity. On your first visit to AmazonSmile, select Blessed Trinity to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. AmazonSmile will remember your selection and then every eligible purchase you make will result in a donation.

Blessed Trinity Catholic High School exists to provide a nurturing educational environment that transforms lives in Christ, integrating spiritual formation, academic excellence, artistic sensibility, and athletic achievement.

How to Make a Gift Online at btcatholic.org/GivingToBT Check Through FACTS Matching Gifts Make a pledge online or by mail

Blessed Trinity Catholic High School Office of Institutional Advancement 11320 Woodstock Rd. Roswell, GA 30075 (678) 277-9083 www.btcatholic.org

Blessed Trinity fiscal year is July 1 - June 30 All gifts received by June 30th will be counted toward that school year Blessed Trinity is a 501 (c)3 non profit organization Tax ID Number 58-2602641