I pay tuition, why does the school have to fund raise too? Each year at Notre Dame College Prep there is a $2,500.00 gap between the cost of tuition and the actual cost of educating your son. Due to the support we get from loyal alumni, current parents and the parents of alumni, we are usually able to bridge that gap through our fundraising efforts. Without charitable donations tuition would be higher for everyone.
Why doesn't the Catholic Church or Holy Cross brothers help fund the school? NDCP is governed by a lay board and operates without financial assistance from a religious order or diocese. The benefits gained from being a Holy Cross school are felt in our classrooms, through our faith practices and in our students, but not in our bank account! Together we must accept the responsibility to invest in our students.
How much is a parent expected to do? The family of NDCP is very diverse, and as such there is no one answer to what a parent should do to support the school. You should know that each year the cost to run the school far exceeds the revenue generated by your tuition payments. Each family is expected to support the variety of school-wide fundraisers to the best of their ability and to make Notre Dame College Prep a philanthropic priority.
What do you really need? Donations given to Notre Dame College Prep which directly benefit the essential expenses of providing fundamental educational opportunities to Dons are unrestricted dollars, and are always the most valuable. Donations to the following appeals are unrestricted unless otherwise designated by you the donor:
● October – NDCP Big Cash Raffle Launch
● October - Burke Scholar Event
● March/April – Big Cash Raffle Concludes; Auction underwriting
That’s not too many, what are all these other fundraiser then? Throughout the year other, more specific fundraisers are held:
● August/September - Football Crazr to benefit the Athletic Club
● December - Parent Association Collection
● March or April (TBD) - Alumni Smoker to benefit Alumni Scholarship
● March - Notre Dame College Prep Spirit Gala - unrestricted dollars for essential expenses
● July - Alumni Golf Outing to benefit Alumni Scholarship
Keep in mind that other fundraising efforts at Notre Dame College Prep support an array of activities. We are proud to offer many clubs, teams, activities and growth opportunities for your son. Please consider giving what you can to a variety of these efforts in order to keep NDCP the richly diverse place that it is.
Is all of this tax-deductible? Fundraising efforts from which you receive an item or a benefit for your donation are not deductible. Examples include Dine for the Dons at local eateries, admission tickets to attend events, (school plays, the dinner auction, football games, Mother-Son Dance) and purchasing items at an auction or sale. In addition, raffles, football pools or other games of chance are never tax deductible. Please always consult your tax advisor.
What about gifts-in-kind? Gifts in kind are an enormous help to many facets of NDCP. If you have access to an item or service that you think could benefit the Dons, please call Mike Marrese '73, Senior Director of Development at 847-779-8665 or email him at mmaresse@nddons.org.