January 27, 2010

Catholic schools get $599,000 grant for teachers’ salary assistance

By Teresa Devine

The Catholic Foundation for the Roman Catholic Church in Northern Colorado was established in 1998 to help northern Colorado Catholics provide financial support to the missions and ministries of the Church closest to their hearts. Since the organization’s founding, Catholic education has been a cornerstone of that financial support.

The foundation’s recent grant of $599,000 for teachers’ salary assistance puts the foundation’s historic giving in support of Catholic schools over the $26 million mark.

The foundation is awarding teachers’ salary assistance grants to 14 Catholic elementary schools.  Foundation president Bud Laber said the grants are given to schools to help them maintain competitive salaries to attract and retain quality educators.

There are 216 teachers serving 2,202 students in the schools receiving this year’s grant. Nearly half of these students qualify for free and reduced lunch, meaning their parents’ income is at or below poverty level and they are able to pay very little toward tuition.

“Each year we work closely with the Office of Catholic Schools to identify the schools most in need,” Laber said. “Now more than ever, this collaboration is important to make sure the funds are distributed most efficiently to achieve the greatest influence.” 

Richard Thompson, superintendent of archdiocesan schools, agreed. Thompson said that without this vital assistance, these schools could not pay their teachers according to the Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Schools salary scale. 

“Over time,” Thompson said, “this would mean that we would develop teaching communities of ‘haves and have-nots.’  Even though these teachers have a strong sense of mission in serving our needy population, they too must be compensated justly.  This grant helps make that possible.  It not only helps pay teachers but through them represents strong support for these parents and children.”

As is tradition for the foundation, Laber and foundation trustees personally deliver these award checks to the recipient schools.

“Visiting the schools gives us a hands-on opportunity to experience directly the significance of our grants in the schools,” Laber said. “Our donors make an impact in the Catholic community of northern Colorado. Thanks to their generosity, Catholic schools can afford talented and dedicated teachers who provide faith formation to the next generation of Catholics in a rigorous academic setting.”

In addition to the annual grant, The Catholic Foundation is focused on the long-term financial strength of the schools to help sustain them year after year. 

“Building parish and school endowments is a crucial element in securing the schools’ future stability and effectiveness and this year’s uncertain economy makes it more clear than ever that these schools need an assured, predictable source of income independent from their day-to-day revenues,” said Laber. 

The Catholic Foundation is working with parishes and schools, such as Guardian Angels in northwest Denver, to build endowments in ways that are rewarding for donors by making it easy for donors to learn about the financial tools they can use to wisely plan their gifts so that their gifts can return benefits to them.  

“Depending on the gift plan and the donor’s circumstances,” Laber noted, “school supporters may increase their income, decrease their estate tax, provide cash to meet immediate needs, or receive a tax deduction for  an asset such as real estate they no longer use or want to maintain.

“We look forward to working with more parishes and schools in the archdiocese to establish deferred giving programs,” he added. “Which will give expression to the desire of their school families and donors to build a legacy of faith.”