K-12 Christian School Funding Survey

K-12 Christian School Funding Survey

The book "Moving Away from Candy Sales and Moving Towards Committed Donors" is out of print. CSA members are given permission to photocopy these research results for non-commercial purposes. To become a CSA member, complete the online order form, or call 847/375-4741.

**FIRST, A PROFILE OF YOU & YOUR SCHOOL**
1.	Title/position of person primarily filling out this survey:
	Principal/Administrator/Head-of-school/Superintendent Board chairman Assistant principal for Director of development/fundraising Other	85% 2% 1% 6% 5%
2.	Which grades does your Christian school serve?
	Only elementary Elementary and middle school/junior high Middle school/junior high and senior high Elementary, middle school/junior high, and senior high	22% 30% 9% 39%
3.	What is your school’s current enrollment?	Median: 170

	Is this an increase or a decrease over the previous year?
	Increase About the same Decrease	65% 21% 13%
4.	About how many different local churches are represented in your student body?	Median: 23

5.	What is the number of people employed by your school?	Median
	Full time employees Part time employees Total	13 6 19

NOW ABOUT TOTAL INCOME RECEIVED

Thinking of the most recently completed fiscal year (1992-1993), indicate the TOTAL INCOME you received and then break it down by SOURCES.

SOURCE

GENERAL FUND
[UNDESIGNATED]
(Median)

RESTRICTED FUNDS
[DESIGNATED]
(Median)

TOTAL:

Tuition

Church giving

Trustee/board member giving

Parents giving

Individuals giving

Alumni giving

Foundation giving

Corporation giving

Product sales

Reserves used as income

Misc. income:

Other:

$323,600

$276,874

$ 10,000

$ 5,999

$ 6,291

$ 7,495

$ 2,035

$ 8,390

$ 4,000

$ 8,027

$ 9,994

$ 18,676

$ 19,280

$31,024

$85,000

$ 6,750

$ 5,793

$ 7,600

$ 7,500

$ 3,500

$12,300

$ 6,000

$ 6,494

$ 9,635

$ 5,655

$13,771

Did the year’s income you listed above leave you with a balance or deficit for that year?

Balance of $10,902 (Median)

Deficit of $10,000 (Median)

In the previous year (fiscal 1991-92), did you have a balance or deficit?

Balance of $10,000 (Median)

Deficit of $12,959 (Median)

LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR DONORS

How many individuals are on your mailing list that you are actively mailing to
(at least 1 mailing per year)?

Median: 400

What was that number 1 year ago?

Median: 345

You may segment your mailing list as follows. If so, fill in the approximate number of
names in each of the following categories. Cross out or change the segment names to
match categories you actually use.

Number of donors
(Median)

Number of
NON donors
(Median)

Alumni

Parents of alumni

Parents of current students

Friends

Board members

Churches

Other

200

115

173

114

10.

Think now of all your donors. How many do you have in the following categories?

Supporter’s single largest
gift size in this past
year is:

# of donors in
this category
now
(Median)

# of donors in
this category
1 year ago
(Median)

$10,000 or more

$5,000 - $9,999

$1,000 - $4,999

$500 - $999

$100 - $499

Less than $10

TOTAL DONORS

Lapsed (no gift 12 months or more)

Never given (potential supporters)

347

20
300

11.

Have you surveyed your constituency within the last 3 years to determine who gives and why?

Yes

93%

**YOUR INITIATIVES TO RAISE FUNDS**
12.	Which of the following communication methods do you rely on to get your fundraising message out? (Check all that apply)
	Method	How many times per year? (Median)
	Newsletter Direct mail letters Phone-a-thons Video/audio tape mailings Annual report Banquets Other Other	6 2 1 1 1 1 2 2
13.	Is an active effort made by your school to identify and cultivate potential major donors capable of giving $1,000 or more within 1 year?
	No Yes	74% 26%
	How satisfied are you with the effectiveness of your efforts to find major donors?
	Very satisfied Somewhat satisfied Mixed feelings Somewhat dissatisfied Very dissatisfied	5% 21% 27% 22% 25%
14.	Does your school seek planned or deferred gifts?
	No Yes	77% 23%
15.	What instruments are you using to encourage planned giving? (Check all that apply)
	Wills and bequests naming school as participant Life insurance naming school as beneficiary Trusts of various kinds Gift annuities naming school as remainderman Other	62% 43% 30% 32% 34%
16.	How satisfied are you with how well your school is doing in terms of the productivity of its planned giving initiatives?
	Very satisfied Somewhat satisfied Mixed feelings Somewhat dissatisfied Very dissatisfied	6% 15% 24% 25% 29%
17.	When was your school’s last capital campaign?
	We have never had one Within the last 3 years Over 3 years ago	56% 25% 19%
	What was the income goal of the campaign?	Median: 150,000

	For what purpose were the funds raised?	(Median)
	New building/repair/expansion General fund/debt reduction New facility Classrooms Purchase new property Scholarships/grants Start new school	41% 25% 23% 7% 7% 5% 3%
	What percentage of the goal did you reach?	Median: 85%

18.	Do you plan to have a capital campaign in the next 3 years?
	No Yes	43% 57%
	If so, for what purpose will the funds be raised?
	New building/repair/expansion New facility General fund/debt reduction Classrooms Scholarships/grants Purchase new property Supplies Start new school	51% 26% 16% 12% 7% 7% 6% 4%
19.	In the last 12 months, how many proposals did your school submit to foundations?	Median: 2

	What’s your biggest obstacle to finding foundation funding?
	Knowledge to write proposal Time Staff Lack of content Lack of interest Research of data Seeing a need	38% 27% 20% 18% 15% 8% 3%
	What was the size of your most recent grant from a foundation?(31% answered this question.)

	We have never received a grant from a foundation(69% said this.)

20.	What were your total expenditures specifically for new donor acquisition during the last fiscal year?
	83% said Nothing specific was spent for this in the last year, and 17% provided a dollar amount.

21.	How satisfied are you with your school’s effectiveness at acquiring new donors?
	Very satisfied Somewhat satisfied Mixed feelings Somewhat dissatisfied Very dissatisfied	3% 11% 23% 24% 39%
22.	What one initiative is working best for you in new donor acquisition?(Open-ended question—not tabulated)

23.	What recent activity to acquire new donors have you tried which did not produce the results you were looking for?
	Banquet/etc. Other letters/direct mail Letters to churches Letters to parents Letters to corporations	42% 35% 9% 7% 7%

**OWNERSHIP/SPONSORSHIP OF YOUR SCHOOL**
24.	Is your school owned or sponsored by a local church?
	No Owned/sponsored by 1 church Owned/sponsored by a group or association of churches organization for the purpose of owning/sponsoring this school Owned/sponsored by a denominational district/conference/presbytery/synod, etc. Other:	34% 57% 5% 2% 2%
25.	To what extent is your school assisted financially by that church (those churches) or organization(s)?
	None of remaining costs not met by tuition/gift income Little of remaining costs not met by tuition/gift income Some of remaining costs not met by tuition/gift income Much of remaining costs not met by tuition/gift income All of remaining costs not met by tuition or gift income	35% 18% 24% 8% 15%
26.	Over the last 3 years, has this financial assistance increased or decreased?	Median
	13% said Increased by 60% said Remained the same 27% said Decreased by	18% 60% 40%
27.	To what degree is the pastor (of the owning/sponsoring church or churches) publicly supportive of the school?
	Highly supportive Moderately supportive Cautiously supportive but not hostile Unsupportive and hostile	61% 28% 11% 0%
28.	*Are you permitted to seek gifts directly* from the members of the congregations of the sponsoring church(es) (either through direct mail, personal call, or designated offering in the church)?**
	No Yes	30% 70%
29.	*How would you describe your school’s relationship with other* churches in your area (not the sponsoring church[es])?**
	No support and no budgeted financial gifts Limited support with few budgeted financial gifts* Moderate support with some budgeted financial gifts* High support with many budgeted financial gifts*	70% 25% 4% 1%
	*About how many different churches gave to the school during your last fiscal year?	Median: 2

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