At Donum Dei, we provide a learning environment that fosters curiosity and wonder, inviting our students to marvel at the world God has made. Through engaging curriculum and enriching field trips, our teachers guide our students toward what is true, good, and beautiful. We believe that God as Creator defines these things, not us. As His image-bearers, our students are primed for awe as they approach the various disciplines of math, science, and language arts.
A kindergartner asking why the tide goes out. A fourth grader reading Homer aloud. A field trip to the tide pools that ends in a psalm. Teachers who have time to answer “why.”
“Come watch a five-year-old ask why the sky is blue and a ten-year-old read Homer aloud. Donum Dei protects a child’s wonder, then gives it something worthy to marvel at: the true, the good and the beautiful, in every subject, from the Nest through Logic.”
“This week your child marveled at ___ (a specific moment from the classroom). Ask at dinner: what made you wonder today? Wonder is the first of our three W’s, and it is the one that starts at home.”
“Your gift keeps wonder within reach: a science lab, a field trip, a classroom next door, a teacher with the time to answer why. Tuition covers the day to day; giving creates the new thing that makes a child gasp.”
Inclined towards wonder and armed with wisdom, Donum Dei students are prepared to rightly worship God as Creator and free to enjoy the world he has made. Through rightly ordered affections, students are invited to embrace what is true, good, and beautiful.
Weekly chapel and the hymn of the month sung in the hallway. A house field day that opens in prayer. A math lesson that ends in thanks. Students who know that God, not the test, is the audience.
“We are not a school with a chapel bolted on; we are a school ordered by worship. God first, then every subject in its place. If you want your child formed by a church-partnered school in the heart of San Francisco, this is what that looks like on a Tuesday.”
“Chapel this week: ___ (passage and hymn). Here is how to sing it at home and one question to ask on the walk to school. Worship is the second W, and it is where the school and your family are most obviously one team.”
“Giving is worship too: a rightly ordered love for this city and its children. Twenty-four churches already stand with us. Your gift joins a congregation of givers who believe San Francisco needs a school like this.”
Wisdom is not developed overnight. Rather, it is a slow and steady process of learning to see the world rightly. As such, we integrate rigorous academics with virtue formation in order to equip our students not only with knowledge, but also with wisdom. Undergirded with wonder, wisdom flourishes and the student appropriately appreciates and engages what is true, good, and beautiful.
Grammar students chanting Latin. Logic students arguing well and kindly. An eighth grader defending a thesis. Twenty-five graduates, two of them into the #1 high school in California.
“Wisdom is slow. That is why we teach grammar, logic and rhetoric across nine years instead of test prep across one. The result is an eighth grader who can read hard books, argue kindly and tell the true from the counterfeit; two of last year’s class were accepted into the #1 high school in California.”
“The trivium at your child’s stage: in Grammar they soak in facts; in Logic they ask why and how. Here is what that means for this trimester’s progress report, and one way to practice it at the dinner table.”
“Wisdom takes years and teachers who stay. Your gift pays a teacher at San Francisco market so the same face greets your child for nine years, and it puts a family on aid in the seat beside them.”
Development is the discipline of growing real relationships with people, helping them see what God is doing, and challenging them to the impact only they can have. The plan has two parts, a message and a prospect list; the skills are four, thank, report, ask and follow up; the season is twice a year; the givers who matter most want data, impact, passion and a real relationship; the leader has to lead himself with a score card and a 6×6; and strategy is three to five chosen priorities on top of a clear value equation. Every tab in this manual carries the workbook page, what Pastor T wrote in the margins, and what it means for Donum Dei with the school’s own numbers.
| SESSION 1 | Unlearn What We Think We Know About Fundraising Stewardship, vocabulary and the working definition of development. | 7 | Captured |
| SESSION 2 | Grow Significant Giving Step by Step: Articulate Your Vision and Vision Profile The development plan: message (vision, questions, steps) and prospect plan. | 13 | Captured |
| SESSION 3 | Unleash Your Hidden Capacity to Grow Giving The three limiters of capacity and the first-meeting engine. | 25 | Captured |
| SESSION 4 | Learning the Core Skills to Grow Giving The donor journey: thank, report, ask, follow up; the yearly cycle. | 33 | Captured |
| SESSION 5 | Grow Significant Giving Step by Step Advanced prospect planning: retain, regain, recruit, non-donors. | 41 | Captured |
| EXTRAORDINARY GIVERS PANEL | Extraordinary Givers Panel How extraordinary givers think, decide, and what they want from leaders. | 45 | Captured |
| SESSION 6 | Lead Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself Self-leadership: value, recovery, danger zones, the score card, the 6×6. | 47 | Captured |
| SESSION 7 | Determine Your Strategic Priorities Strategy: who we serve, the value equation, economic model, priority buckets (pp. 61–66 so far). | 61 | Captured |
| SESSION 8 | Clarify Your Steps Giving-driven steps as an account: Step 1 done ($3.1M, 2019 – July 2026), sizing Steps 2–4. | 69 | Captured |
| SESSION 9 | Finalize Your Talking Points Talking points: board intro, mission, portrait, how we got here, $6M, the steps. | 75 | Captured |
| SESSION 10 | Bringing It All Together Bringing it all together: can this be done? | 81 | Captured |
| APPENDIX | Appendix · Giving data, scripts and the example message Giving USA data, scripts, memo of understanding, inner dialogue, example message. | 84 | Captured |
1 · It is stewardship, not sales. The school, the donors and the dollars belong to God; donors are brothers and sisters, not givers and takers.
2 · It is a discipline of relationships. Grow real relationships, help people see what God is doing, challenge them to the impact only they can have.
3 · It has a structure. Development message (vision → key questions → giving-driven steps) plus a prospect plan.
4 · It has an economic model. Total giving − development expense = margin. DDCA’s FY26 margin (~$780K on ~$29K) is real but fragile.
5 · Capacity has limiters. Events, perceived cost and family count. Event dollars are the lowest-ROI dollars; the first meeting is the engine.
6 · The journey is thank → report → ask → follow up, and thanking is the most important step. Reporting is not reporting unless you call attention to it.
7 · Think seasonally. Two passes through the journey each year; DDCA’s season is December and February–March.
8 · The prospect plan is four lists. Retain, regain, recruit, non-donors, with low and high totals.
9 · Extraordinary givers want data, impact, passion and relationships. Be curious; be the “where our hearts are” organization for a few.
10 · Development is the language of leadership. The COO and board carry the calls and the stretch asks, not the advancement team alone.
11 · Lead yourself before you wreck yourself. Value comes from God-given gifts; watch the danger zones; keep a weekly score card; the follow-up list is the leading indicator; the 6×6 is the leader’s work.
12 · Strategy is choices. Who we serve, the value equation (what you get ÷ what you pay), margin per student, and 3–5 action-verb priorities. DDCA: $25,995 per child against $23,200 paid.
13 · Account for Step 1 before asking for Step 2. $3.1M given from 2019 to July 2026 became 94 students, ~250 served, 25 graduates (two into the #1 high school in California), accredited PK–8, 24 churches. No step should double the last, so $6M spreads over three steps.
14 · Talking points in two minutes. Board member as parent → mission, vision, values → the portrait of a graduate → how we got here → $6M across facilities, faculty and families → the steps → the question.
15 · Can this be done? “Who am I?” at Horeb; “I will be with you.” Do not grow weary of doing good. Keep moving forward.
Welcome to the Christian School Donor Development Workbook, where we demystify the concepts of “fundraising” and “donor development.”
Let’s look at where we should start with everything and turn to Jesus. Psalm 89:11 says, “The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.” As Christians, we know there are only two certainties in this world: uncertainty and Jesus’ reign over it. Your school is not yours. Your money is not yours. Your donors are not yours. Even donors’ dollars aren’t theirs. It all belongs to God.
As faithful stewards of his resources, we approach donor development as Kingdom development – where opportunities meet resources and mission meets like-mindedness.
Can you feel the weight of the word “fundraising” starting to lift? You should! While you serve the Lord by dedicating your life to shaping the next generation, donors serve by providing resources for this transformational work. When we see contributors as humans made in the very image of God, we are brothers and sisters in Christ. Not donors and recipients, not givers and takers. Brothers and sisters.
The time is now. We live in a world where narratives of chaos and division dominate, but people are re-awakening to the power of Christian education. Why? Because when the truth is questioned, truth shines through. This is the story of enlightenment through Jesus and His Word, and it is this Light that will draw others into hope.
So as we enter together into this great work, let us move forward with hope and not hold back in fear. You are called to serve and lead for such a time as this.
Let’s grow together.
The session opens with Psalm 89:11 and the stewardship frame: the school is not yours, the donors are not yours, and the donors’ dollars are not theirs either. From there it retires two words (fundraising, need) and replaces them with two others (development, plan), names the four challenges every leader faces, and lands on a working definition: the discipline of growing real relationships with people, helping them see what God is doing, and challenging them to the impact only they can have.
It closes with the economic model of excellent development (total giving − total development expense = margin) and the claim that development is the language of leadership.
The four challenges we’ve identified: not yet filled in — add from the session
All of our problems are people problems!
The discipline of growing real relationships with people, helping them see what God is doing, and then challenging them to have the impact that only they can have.
Giving is the fuel that drives us forward.
People are not getting better at fundraising nor more generous.
Avoid these two words: Fundraising and Need. Instead use: Development and Plan.
The economic model of excellent development: Total giving − total development expense = margin.
Development is the language of leadership.
Session 1 was about vocabulary and posture: the school is not mine, the donors are not mine, the dollars are not theirs. “Fundraising” and “need” come out of our language; “development” and “plan” go in. Everything that looks like a money problem is a people problem.
The margin looks extraordinary because FY2026 spent almost nothing on development and two gifts carried the year. The 2026–27 budget funds an advancement team, Bloomerang and HubSpot; the discipline Herzog is teaching is what makes that investment repeatable rather than lucky. The “people problem” at DDCA is specific: 25% donor retention, a $1K–$25K tier stuck at 19 households, and 51 of 53 target churches with no touchpoint yet.
The six learning objectives for the bootcamp are laid out (clarity, message, prospect plan, relationship skills, disciplines, feedback). A development message is built in three layers: your vision and vision profile, the key questions a giver will ask, and giving-driven steps. Mission is how we do what we do; vision is why; core values name the culture.
The session also settles which business you are in. You can only raise money for two things, saving lives or changing lives, and a classical Christian school is in the changing-lives business, which sets the tone of every ask: formation over rescue, invitation over emergency.
A development plan has two parts: development message and prospect plan.
The nature of your work: you can only raise money for two things, saving lives or changing lives. Which “business” are you in? changing lives.
Mission statement = how we do what we do. Vision statement = why we do what we do. Core values = Wonder · Worship · Wisdom.
“A development message is a communication plan.” DDCA is in the changing-lives business, not the saving-lives business, which changes the tone of every ask: formation over rescue, invitation over emergency. Mission is how we do what we do; vision is why; the values are the three W’s.
The full development message (vision profile, key questions, giving-driven steps) and the prospect plan are drafted on the Development Plan tab, built from the giving data in this dashboard.
Three limiters decide how far you can go: over-reliance on fundraising events, the perceived cost of tuition, and the number of families. The event test is blunt: if an event does not net $200K it is probably not making money once staff time is counted, because event dollars are the lowest-ROI dollars a school raises.
The engine that replaces events is the first meeting: request it and promise not to ask, ask for their vision for the school, share a plan verbally and ask for advice, then take notes and ask who else you should be talking to. The assignment is to make one to three of those calls.
There are specific limiters that will affect how far you go in your efforts to raise money:
If you aren’t netting $200K on an event, it is likely you aren’t actually “making money” on your efforts.
How can this be? The total cost of staff. The dollars an event raises are the lowest-ROI dollars a school raises, not the highest.
The first meeting is not an ask. It is a request for their story, their vision for the school, and their advice, and it ends with the question that builds the list: who else should I be talking to?
Tuition covers the day-to-day experience. Giving creates the new thing forward.
What’s the vision for lives being changed? That is the question to ask them.
Make 1–3 calls: “I am planning for the future and learning how we can grow generous giving. I’d like to ask you questions and get your input.”
Limiter 1 · Events. The gala netted about $66,500 in FY26 against the $200K threshold, and it consumed the spring of a small team. The workbook’s answer is not to cancel it but to stop counting it as the development program: keep the gala as the large-group ask event in the yearly cycle and move the staff hours to face-to-face work with the 16 households at $5K+.
Limiter 2 · Perceived cost. Families already pay $23,200 and know it does not cover the $25,070 it costs; some hear an appeal as a second bill. The line from the margin fixes it: tuition covers the day-to-day experience of your child; giving creates the new thing forward (the next classroom, the Women’s Center, a family on aid).
Limiter 3 · Number of families. About 70 families is a small base, which is why churches (53 on the pipeline), grandparents and the 107 ticket-buyers matter. The floor math from the margin: 62–70 households × a realistic participation rate gives a parent floor in the low six figures; the $500K minimum comes from the retained major donors, not the parent body.
The face-to-face engine · first 1–3 calls. Start with donors who already said yes and can open doors: Christine and Colin McLean, Kyle Matson, and the anonymous $54K household; then Matthew Shiraki and Adam Yee. Script: request a meeting and promise not to ask; ask what they hope God does through DDCA; share the plan (fill the building, then the Women’s Center) and ask for advice; take notes and ask who else you should be talking to.
The donor journey is a cycle, repeated twice a year (January–July, August–December) across face-to-face, small-group and large-group strategies. Thanking has a workflow (call, letter and receipt, personal thank-you, surprise and delight) and a payoff: 40% average retention rises to 50% when the thank-you is face to face, while 80% of donors say they never hear from the organizations they give to.
Reporting must call attention to itself and runs 80% past, 20% future. There are four ways to ask (direct, range, straightforward, stretch), and the right one serves the giver, not the asker. Follow-up is a system: next action, memo of understanding, calendar, long-lasting list, updates and encouragement.
Thanking is first, and the most important step in the journey. Reporting comes second, asking third, follow-up fourth.
“Thank you, and here is a report.”
Reporting is not reporting if you do not call attention to it.
Prior to another request to give, provide a report. Say it plainly: “I hope you took the time to receive and review our report. Thank you!” Board members and volunteers delivering the report are particularly impactful.
Easiest for me: all are okay with me. Hardest: the stretch ask.
“If you are thinking about what is easiest for you, it is about you, not what the giver needs or feels. How am I helping them in their process?”
The memo: “Thank you. Here is what I heard you say. Here is what I intended to say. Here is what happens next.”
| Face to face | Small groups | Large groups | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan – Jul Thank → Report → Ask → Follow up | Retain / regain: initial and reporting meetings; ask, follow-up and update meetings. | Leadership briefings, task forces, advisory groups; vision events. | Reporting communication with follow-up; asking communication with a follow-up series. |
| Aug – Dec Thank → Report → Ask → Follow up | Recruit: introductory and vision meetings with referred prospects. | Recruit: vision events, volunteering. | Recruit: announcement, kickoff and informational events; event fundraisers, ask events, celebrations. |
Planning questions: what opportunities exist? How do we integrate vision and priorities? What can we automate, delegate, innovate, eliminate?
Our reporting today is very sparse: a newsletter and an email. The lesson is that a report nobody is told about is not a report.
In a marriage there is a silent partner and a managing partner in giving, and who manages the decision might surprise you. Do not over-categorize the givers; work on what will support the donor.
The line to practice: “Here is how we fund the day to day. Tuition covers the day-to-day experience of your child. Giving is what moves us forward. Here is how we get to this point…”
Thanking, this fall. Every FY26 donor gets the four-step workflow before any FY27 ask: a call within a week of the gift (board members take the 16 households at $5K+), a letter and receipt from Bloomerang, a personal thank-you (visit for the $25K+ six; Parent Equipping Night or a classroom visit for the rest), and one surprise (a student’s note, a photo from the classroom the gift touched).
Reporting, before asking. A one-page FY26 impact report (the $809K raised, 94 students, 21 families on aid, CLT results) mailed in September, and a phone or in-person “did you receive it?” for every $1K+ household. 80% what God did in FY26; 20% the next big step: filling the building and the Women’s Center.
Asking in season. The data says DDCA’s ask season is December and February–March. Year-end appeal with a range for new and mid-tier donors (“$2,500–$5,000 moves a family off the wait list”), a straightforward ask for parents, a renewal at the same level for the six transformational households, multi-year if they offer it; gala in February–March as the large-group ask event.
Follow-up as a system. Every visit produces a next action and a memo of understanding logged in Bloomerang, a calendar date, and a place on the long-lasting list. The Church & Org Pipeline tab is that list for congregations; the Donor List is the version for households.
The DDCA yearly cycle, first draft. Aug–Sep thank and report · Oct–Nov vision events and leadership briefings · Dec year-end ask · Jan follow-up and update meetings · Feb–Mar gala and spring ask · Apr–May reporting and recruiting through churches · Jun–Jul planning, pledge renewals.
| Month | Journey phase | School calendar · existing events | Development actions · face to face, small group, large group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | Thank | Aug 12 Parent Orientation Aug 13 First day of school · Donut Day Aug 14 Field Day | Thank-you calls to all 63 FY26 donors within the month; board members take the 16 at $5K+ Parent Orientation: welcome, no ask; new families meet Pastor T and Isaac Bootcamp 6×6 begins; follow-up list built in Bloomerang |
| Sep 2026 | Thank → Report | Sep 10 Back to School Night · Nest & Grammar Sep 17 Back to School Night · Logic Sep 25 Info Session Sep 26 Family Movie Night Sep 30–Oct 2 Parent/Teacher Conferences | Thank-you visits to the six $25K+ households FY26 one-page impact report mailed; Back to School Nights carry it in person (80% what God did, 20% the next step) Info Session: recruit; Movie Night: large-group experience for the 107 ticket-buyers |
| Oct 2026 | Report | Oct 5–9 Fall break Oct 23 Parent Equipping Night (PEN) | “Did you receive our report?” calls to every $1K+ household Fall PEN as the small-group vision event: church champions and Tier 1 pastors invited First 1–3 face-to-face meetings (Session 3 script) |
| Nov 2026 | Report → Ask | Nov 11 Veterans Day Assembly Nov 13 Fall trimester ends Nov 20 Friendsgiving Feast Nov 23–29 Thanksgiving break | Friendsgiving: gratitude event; thank donors publicly, report on the year Year-end appeal drafted; leadership briefing for the board and $5K+ households Giving Tuesday (Dec 1) mailing prepared: renewals for existing donors, range ask for new ones |
| Dec 2026 | Ask | Dec 5 The Greatest Gift (5–8pm) Dec 15 Noon dismissal Dec 16–Jan 3 Christmas break | The Greatest Gift: large-group celebration and the year-end ask, in person Year-end appeal series with follow-up (email, letter, call); December is DDCA’s peak giving month Renewal conversations with the six transformational households at their FY26 level |
| Jan 2027 | Follow-up | Jan 4 Students return Jan 22 Parent Equipping Night (Winter) Jan 27–29 Parent/Teacher Conferences | Thank every year-end gift within 48 hours; memo of understanding after each December conversation Winter PEN: report to families; introduce the gala Update meetings with anyone who said “not yet” |
| Feb 2027 | Thank → Report | Feb 1–5 Spirit Week Feb 15–19 Winter break | Mid-year impact report (enrollment, aid, CLT) mailed and called attention to Gala invitations and sponsor asks to businesses and foundations Leadership briefings and advisory group for the Women’s Center |
| Mar 2027 | Ask | Mar 5 Info Session Mar 12 Winter trimester ends Mar 13 Spring Gala Mar 26 Good Friday | Spring Gala: the large-group ask event; paddle raise framed as the next big step Info Session: recruit families from Tier 1 churches Second face-to-face pass with the $5K+ households |
| Apr 2027 | Follow-up | Apr 9 Parent Equipping Night (Spring) Apr 19–23 Spring break | Gala thank-yous within a week; pledges logged and calendared Spring PEN: report what the gala funded Follow-up list reviewed; regain calls to the 12 lapsed at $1K+ |
| May 2027 | Report | May 3–7 Teacher Appreciation Week May 21 Grandparents’ Day May 21–22 Spring Musical | Grandparents’ Day: face-to-face with the grandparent tier; invite to the named scholarship fund Spring Musical: invite prospects and church partners as guests Teacher Appreciation: report on teacher pay and what giving funded |
| Jun 2027 | Report → Follow-up | Jun 4–8 Final report cards Jun 11 Closing Convocation, promotions and 8th grade graduation Jun 11 Last day of school Jun 30 Fiscal year ends | Graduation: the impact story entering-to-exit, told in person Year-end close: FY27 giving report drafted; pledge renewals for FY28 Board retreat: score card review, next 6×6 |
| Jul 2027 | Plan | Jun 28–Jul 31 Nest summer session Jul 26–30 Leadership In-Service | Planning month: prospect lists refreshed (retain, regain, recruit, non-donors) Yearly cycle re-drawn from this table; automate, delegate, innovate, eliminate Thank-you calls for FY27 gifts begin the next pass |
Existing large donors are cultivated through the full cycle and asked to renew at their level, not to increase. New and mid-tier donors receive the range asks. Dates from “SY2627 Academic Calendar · Academy Approved.”
Donors to retain are listed highest to lowest with a target amount, range or commitment for each, totalled low and high. Donors to regain are listed highest to lowest going back five to seven years, with total potential. Donors to recruit come from people new to the community, people who attend experiences, referrals, and the non-donor list. Non-donors are either released or recruited; the rule is to stop training people not to give, and to provide only quality communication and experiences.
DDCA’s lists, filled from Overflow: 63 to retain (renew at $712,546; existing large donors are cultivated through the thank → report → ask → follow-up cycle, not asked for more), 160 to regain ($65,511 potential), 107 ticket-buyers and 51 churches to recruit.
This is the worksheet behind the prospect plan in Session 2: the plan is only as good as the four lists, and the lists are only as good as the targets on them.
No margin notes on this page; the worksheet is the note. The blanks are filled in on the right from the Overflow data, and the prospect plan on the Development Plan tab is re-sorted into these four lists.
Two things to settle at the retreat: how far back “regain” can reach (Overflow only holds FY2024–FY2026, so the FY2019–FY2023 donors live in QuickBooks and memory), and what “release” means for a non-donor who is also a current parent.
| Donor (FY26, highest → lowest) | FY26 gift | Renew at | Cultivation cycle · thank → report → ask → follow up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Promod and Dorcas Haque | $250,000 | $250,000 | Thank: visit from Pastor T + board member (Aug–Sep) → Report: impact report in person (Sep–Oct) → Ask: renew at the same level, multi-year if offered (Dec or gala) → Follow-up: memo + calendar |
| Rockwater Foundation | $157,700 | $157,700 | Thank: visit from Pastor T + board member (Aug–Sep) → Report: impact report in person (Sep–Oct) → Ask: renew at the same level, multi-year if offered (Dec or gala) → Follow-up: memo + calendar |
| Anonymous Donor | $54,143 | $54,143 | Thank: visit from Pastor T + board member (Aug–Sep) → Report: impact report in person (Sep–Oct) → Ask: renew at the same level, multi-year if offered (Dec or gala) → Follow-up: memo + calendar |
| Kyle Matson | $50,000 | $50,000 | Thank: visit from Pastor T + board member (Aug–Sep) → Report: impact report in person (Sep–Oct) → Ask: renew at the same level, multi-year if offered (Dec or gala) → Follow-up: memo + calendar |
| Reality SF Church | $40,000 | $40,000 | Thank: visit from Pastor T + board member (Aug–Sep) → Report: impact report in person (Sep–Oct) → Ask: renew at the same level, multi-year if offered (Dec or gala) → Follow-up: memo + calendar |
| Christine and Colin McLean | $25,000 | $25,000 | Thank: visit from Pastor T + board member (Aug–Sep) → Report: impact report in person (Sep–Oct) → Ask: renew at the same level, multi-year if offered (Dec or gala) → Follow-up: memo + calendar |
| Matthew Shiraki | $21,184 | $21,184 | Thank: call within a week + note (Aug–Sep) → Report: mailed report + “did you receive it?” call (Oct) → Ask: renew at the same level (year-end) → Follow-up: January update |
| Adam Yee | $20,124 | $20,124 | Thank: call within a week + note (Aug–Sep) → Report: mailed report + “did you receive it?” call (Oct) → Ask: renew at the same level (year-end) → Follow-up: January update |
| Tiffany Mcfarland | $15,000 | $15,000 | Thank: call within a week + note (Aug–Sep) → Report: mailed report + “did you receive it?” call (Oct) → Ask: renew at the same level (year-end) → Follow-up: January update |
| Business Crane Data Center Inc. | $10,000 | $10,000 | Thank: call within a week + note (Aug–Sep) → Report: mailed report + “did you receive it?” call (Oct) → Ask: renew at the same level (year-end) → Follow-up: January update |
| Renee Hsia | $10,000 | $10,000 | Thank: call within a week + note (Aug–Sep) → Report: mailed report + “did you receive it?” call (Oct) → Ask: renew at the same level (year-end) → Follow-up: January update |
| Scott Sowers | $10,000 | $10,000 | Thank: call within a week + note (Aug–Sep) → Report: mailed report + “did you receive it?” call (Oct) → Ask: renew at the same level (year-end) → Follow-up: January update |
| Albert Lee | $9,973 | $9,973 | Thank: call within a week + note (Aug–Sep) → Report: mailed report + “did you receive it?” call (Oct) → Ask: renew at the same level (year-end) → Follow-up: January update |
| Constance Bales | $6,500 | $6,500 | Thank: call within a week + note (Aug–Sep) → Report: mailed report + “did you receive it?” call (Oct) → Ask: renew at the same level (year-end) → Follow-up: January update |
| andrew.baumann3@gmail.com | $5,000 | $5,000 | Thank: call within a week + note (Aug–Sep) → Report: mailed report + “did you receive it?” call (Oct) → Ask: renew at the same level (year-end) → Follow-up: January update |
| Scott Toombs | $5,000 | $5,000 | Thank: call within a week + note (Aug–Sep) → Report: mailed report + “did you receive it?” call (Oct) → Ask: renew at the same level (year-end) → Follow-up: January update |
| Donor to regain (highest → lowest) | Last gift | Last gave |
|---|---|---|
| Albert and Renee Lee | $11,200 | FY2025 |
| Ben Chelf | $10,000 | FY2024 |
| Maria Choi | $8,400 | FY2025 |
| Sam and Betty Young | $5,000 | FY2025 |
| Stephanie Hamblen | $2,380 | FY2025 |
| Juliet Chung | $2,320 | FY2025 |
| David Moore | $1,600 | FY2025 |
| Ashley Lomas | $1,580 | FY2025 |
| Arlington Family Trust | $1,400 | FY2024 |
| Erika El-Ansary | $1,000 | FY2025 |
Overflow covers FY2024–FY2026 only; FY2025 is about 21% complete, so several “lapsed” names may have given offline. Confirm against deposits before the call.
107 households bought gala, theater or event tickets in FY2024–FY2026 and never made a gift: they have attended an experience. Tier 1 churches (Epic, The Father’s House, Heirs, New North, Cornerstone, SF Bible, Providence) are the referral channel. Current families (~70) are the non-donor list until Bloomerang says otherwise: there is no constituency coding yet, so parent participation is unknown.
Release: purchase-only contacts with no relationship after two seasons of quality communication. Recruit: every current family gets the report and the vision event, never a bare appeal. Stop training people not to give: no more “please donate” lines in operational emails; asks happen in season, in person or by a series with follow-up.
Giving is never a question of if, only when, how much, what and where. Decisions run through a process of passion, volunteer value and dollar value, with relationships as the pivot; givers support a few organizations with both time and money and segment their giving into small dollars, recurring or annual dollars, and “this is where our hearts are” dollars.
What helps: data (“in God we trust, for everyone else bring data”), impact defined as the change from entering to exit, passion, and relationships. What does not help: being asked to “tell me the XYZ story” instead of being met with real curiosity.
Two givers on the panel: Pat and Greg. What follows is what they said, as captured in the workbook margins.
Decisions: a process of passion, volunteer value and dollar value; the value of relationships is pivotal; support an organization with time and giving, with a few. What is the purpose: leadership? One difference. Giving is segmented: small dollars to anyone who asks; mid-size recurring or annual dollars; and “this is where our hearts are” dollars.
Most helpful: DATA. IMPACT, defined as the change from entering to exit. PASSION. RELATIONSHIPS. Top of mind and awareness: who can I really develop a relationship with?
Unhelpful: being told “tell me the XYZ story.” Instead be interested, be curious: what made you like this, what was college like.
Be a “this is where our hearts are” organization for a few. Extraordinary givers segment their giving into three tiers; DDCA cannot compete for the small-dollar tier and should not try. The work is to become the heart-tier organization for 12–15 households, which is exactly the shape of the FY26 pyramid (six at $25K+, ten at $5K–$25K) if retention moves from 25% toward 60%.
Bring data, and define impact as entering-to-exit. DDCA already measures what a giver asks for: CLT results, high-school placements, the Portrait of a Graduate, cost per student ($25,070) against net tuition, and a monthly board dashboard. The FY26 impact report should show the change in a child from entry to exit, not activity counts.
Passion and relationships before the ask. The panel’s process (passion → volunteer value → dollar value) argues for inviting major prospects to volunteer value first: a leadership briefing, an advisory group for the Women’s Center, a gala committee. Money follows time.
Curiosity over pitch. Retire the “tell me the XYZ story” visit. The first meeting with each of the 16 retain prospects opens with their story (how they came to San Francisco, what formed them, what they hope for their kids) and ends with a report, not an ask.
Leadership is the difference. “Leaders get people to do what they normally won’t do on their own” is the case for the COO and board carrying the thank-you calls and the stretch asks, rather than the advancement team alone.
The session asks where a leader’s value comes from, names the leader’s responsibilities (results, strategic priorities, projects) and the school’s return on the leader (financial cost, financial impact, people impact). It contrasts an unhealthy stress response (anxiety → inaction → less energy → avoidance) with a eustress response (growth planning → action → more energy → endurance), lists five danger zones, and asks how you know when you are burnt out.
Then it gets practical: a weekly score card of four development numbers, saying “no” with grace and style, the 6×6 (six things in six weeks), a model week with protected discretionary blocks, and a renewed inner dialogue read three times a day for six weeks.
The session opens with one question: your value as a leader, where does it come from? Then it names what you are responsible for (results, strategic priorities, projects) and what the school gets back for what it pays you (financial cost, financial impact, people impact).
Then: what are some of your personal danger zones? And a grid to fill weekly: A little bit better · Fills / drains · Weekly actions.
How do you know when you are burnt out? The workbook draws two responses to the same pressure:
| Anxiety | Inaction / Action | Energy | Avoidance / Endurance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unhealthy stress response | Planning | Inaction: the will follows the emotions | Less energy: shrinking or shirking | Avoidance: lacking awareness of seasons |
| Eustress response | Growth or recovery planning | Action: emotions follow the will | More energy: stretching yourself | Endurance: activating within seasons |
| Question | This week |
|---|---|
| How many meeting blocks do you have held on your calendar in the next six months? | ? |
| How many meetings do you actually have scheduled for the next six weeks? | ? |
| How many face-to-face meetings did you have this past week? | ? |
| How many people are on your follow-up list? | ? |
Saying “no” with grace and style. What are some of the things in your life you know you need to say “no” to?
The 6×6. Six major things you are going to focus on that will move your organization forward if accomplished in the next six weeks.
A model week. What are your thoughts on the “non-discretionary” items on your calendar each week and the “discretionary” blocks of time? A Sunday-to-Saturday grid follows to draw it.
Transform your inner life. Create your own inner dialogue: intentionally directing your own thoughts is one way to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Capture ideas, quotes or Scriptures to read three times daily for the next six weeks.
The weekly score card, filled for DDCA. Meeting blocks held for the next six months: put two per week on the calendar now (roughly 50 through February, the ask season). Meetings scheduled for the next six weeks: start with the 1–3 first-meeting calls from Session 3 and grow to 12. Face-to-face this past week: 1. Follow-up list: the ~110 above, kept in Bloomerang, reviewed every Friday. The score card is the leading indicator; the $1M goal is the lagging one.
A 6×6 draft for the six weeks after the retreat. (1) Thank every FY26 donor by phone or visit, board members taking the 16 at $5K+. (2) Mail the one-page FY26 impact report and call attention to it. (3) Hold the first three face-to-face meetings (McLean, Matson, the anonymous $54K household). (4) Build the follow-up list in Bloomerang with next actions and dates. (5) Recruit a church champion in three Tier 1 churches. (6) Draft the year-end appeal: renewals for existing donors, a range ask for new ones. Not a to-do list: the six things that move the school.
A model week. Non-discretionary: chapel, staff meeting, board and finance rhythms, Reality SF commitments. Discretionary blocks to protect: two development meeting blocks (Tuesday and Thursday mornings), one Friday hour for the follow-up list and score card, one weekly “fills” block. The gala and event work moves out of the discretionary blocks; the face-to-face engine moves in.
Saying no. The things to decline are the ones that compete with those blocks: events that will not net $200K, meetings that could be an email, and requests that belong to the advancement team now that it exists.
Strategy is how we do what we do and who we serve; it is choices. The page has three layers: vision, mission and values with a vision profile and 3–5 priorities on top; then who we serve and who we don’t, the value equation (what you get over what you pay) and the economic model (margin per X). The Chick-fil-A example makes the value equation concrete: $10.82 is what you pay; touching the table, connection and fresh flowers are what you get.
For a school the equation is expenses divided by students against tuition, and the disciplined-thought buckets are the 3–5 headings of work the school exists to accomplish, each starting with an action verb because donors fuel action. Pages 61–66 are captured; the rest of the session fills as pages arrive.
The goal of the session: very clear strategic priorities, three to five of them, sitting on top of who we serve, the value we provide and our economic model.
Who we serve and who we don’t. A list of five distinctives that make us stand apart from others: 1 classical; 2 holistic student formation (character formation)…
The value we provide. $2.4M expenses ÷ ~100 students = ~$24K per student; how over time are we trying to change that?
Our economic model and our strategic priorities: left to fill in the session.
Develop 3–5 headings for buckets of work your organization exists to accomplish (think distinctives!). The workbook’s example school: Deepen our spiritual impact on students…; Create pathways for both college-minded and trades-ready students…; Broaden extracurricular offerings with a focus on athletics…
These headings should begin with an action verb, because donors are fueling action. Bonus: have them reflect the “why” behind your “how.”
Two parts. 1 · Development message: thinking strategically; the process of planning, going from good to great; disciplined people → disciplined thought. The words we use to describe the plan, priorities and big goals; clarity; vision from snapshot.
Who we serve. List the five distinctives that make us stand apart from others: classical; holistic student formation (character formation)… Messaging to families: distinctives inform what we are pursuing and driving.
The value we provide. $2.4M expenses ÷ ~100 students = $24K. How, over time, are we trying to change that?
Example to steal. New Braunfels Academy (TX): an educational email course, a different course for each section (ECE, Grammar, Logic), seven days: three days in a row, then day 6, then weekly; end of day 1 covers current tuition and fees; all seven days walk through the value. younglearnerscompass.com.
What is your vision? How did you get here?
Who we serve. San Francisco families who want a classical, Christ-centered school that knows and loves their child, most of them from partner churches, many needing aid to attend. Who we don’t: families looking for a large campus, a secular program, or a school that will not ask them to form their children alongside it.
Five distinctives, drafted. 1 · Classical: the trivium, the great books, Latin. 2 · Holistic student formation: character before credentials, Wonder · Worship · Wisdom. 3 · Christ-centered and church-partnered: a school that grows out of congregations, not beside them. 4 · Small and known: ~70 families, every child known by name. 5 · Culturally redemptive in the city: seeking the peace of San Francisco rather than leaving it.
The value equation. What you get: the five distinctives above, delivered at $25,995 per child. What you pay: $23,200 list, ~$15,600 after aid. The gap is the case for giving: “tuition covers the day to day; giving creates the new thing forward.” Over time the equation improves by filling the building (cost per student toward ~$19,500) rather than by raising tuition.
Our economic model. Margin per student: tuition $23,200 minus cost $25,995 = −$2,795 before aid, roughly −$10,400 after it. At 94 students that is the ~$943K giving need; at ~120 students in the current building the need falls, and at ~165 with the Women’s Center it falls toward ~$283K. A business whose ministry is education has to name that number out loud.
Strategic priorities · candidate buckets (action verbs, 3–5). Form virtuous scholars through a classical, Christ-centered education (the core). Fill the building to ~120 students so the model stands on its own. Open the Women’s Center for a dedicated Logic School and doubled ECE. Partner with 53 churches so families and gifts flow from congregations. Sustain access through a named scholarship fund. Session 7’s remaining pages will test and trim these.
Steal the email course. A seven-day DDCA course in HubSpot, one version each for the Nest, Grammar and Logic, with day one on tuition and aid and the rest walking through the distinctives, is the cheapest way to answer “what you get” before a family ever visits.
Each step builds on the previous one. Step 1 is done: in the past seven years, $3.1M has been given to DDCA (2019 – July 2026). The way to account for it is plain: “this is what we did with the total amount we have received; here are our strategic priorities; these steps will cost X and move us toward the mission and vision in 2–5 years.” The sizing rule: if Step 2 is double or more than Step 1, break it into smaller steps. Steps get done as quickly as people pray and give.
The margin holds DDCA’s history in numbers: 2019, accredited PK–8, 24 churches, 60+ families, ~250 students served, 25 graduates, Bernal Heights, and enrollment by year from 30 to 94.
Each step builds upon the success of the previous step. Step 1 is done, since 2019. In the past 5–7 years we have seen a total of $3M given.
Here is how we would account for the impact: “This is what we did with the total amount we have received. Here are our strategic priorities, and these steps will cost X dollars; they will help us get closer to our mission and vision in 2–5 years.”
Step 2: if Step 2 is double or more than Step 1, it will be harder to explain; it needs to be broken into smaller steps. It will be done as quickly as people pray and give.
Steps 3 and 4: left blank in the session; filled in from the strategic plan on the right.
How we got here (p. 71). Established 2019. Became accredited. Added PK–8. 25 churches represented. 60+ families. 250 students served. 25 eighth-grade graduates. Bernal Heights. Positioned ourselves in San Francisco to be accessible to the Bay Area.
Investment: Families → aid. Faculty → amazing teachers. Facility → campus expansion. Campus expansion X$. Scholarship fund X$.
Enrollment by year: ’19 30 · ’20 60 · ’21 90 · ’22 65 · ’23 75 · ’24 86 · ’25 92 · ’26 94.
Step 1 · Founding and foundation (2019–2026) · done. With $3.1M given between 2019 and July 2026, DDCA went from 30 students to 94 in a strategic Bernal Heights location accessible to the whole Bay Area, accredited PK–8, with about 250 students served, 25 graduates (two from the Class of 2025–26 accepted into the #1 high school in California), 24 churches represented and supported in San Francisco, a five-year plan, clean books and monthly dashboards, an advancement team, and a banner FY26 of $809K. That is the account of what we did with the total amount received.
Sizing Steps 2–4. The workbook’s rule: no step should be double the last. Step 1 was $3.1M from 2019 to July 2026; the $6M identified in Session 9 (facilities, faculty, families) therefore spreads across three steps of roughly $2M each rather than one $6M ask. Step 2 (2026–27): fill the building and open the scholarship fund. Step 3 (2027–29): the Women’s Center. Step 4 (2029–31): 165 students and endowment-style scholarship commitments. Each is done as quickly as people pray and give.
The talking points follow the message structure: mission, vision and profile; how we got here; what we are working toward; and the giving-driven steps with Step 1 complete, a long-term goal, progress to date, an immediate milestone, and specific projects with total cost. The first-meeting call script on p. 88 is the vehicle.
DDCA’s version from the margins: a board member opens as a parent, then mission, vision, values; Wonder, Worship, Wisdom; the portrait of a graduate (spiritually rooted, classically formed, culturally redemptive); $3.1M invested all-time (2019 – July 2026); and $6M to invest across facilities, faculty and families.
The development message diagram on p. 76 is the same one from Session 2; the note beside it reads “board member intro.” See p. 88 for the first-meeting call script.
Our mission, vision and profile: spiritually rooted, classically formed, culturally redemptive.
How we got here: accredited PK–8th; 7 years; 2019; $3M given; 250 students served; 25 graduates; 2 accepted into the #1 high school in California (SF).
What we are working toward: $6M to invest in growth. Facilities: campus expansion, athletics, performing arts, security. Faculty: teacher pay, HR/benefits, staff development. Families: financial aid, partnership, parent equipping nights.
Talking points, in order: 1 Board member intro · 2 Mission, vision, values · 3 Wonder, Worship, Wisdom · 4 Portrait of a graduate: spiritually rooted, classically formed, culturally redemptive · 5 Lifetime-to-date investment: $3M into DDCA · 6 Where we’re going.
Contact to follow up: Cate Gilbert (friend of Julie Barrios), head of school at a classical school in Texas; number in the workbook.
The full first-meeting call script, the face-to-face dialogue and the thank-you/report call are in the Appendix tab.
The closing session brings the message, the prospect plan, the yearly cycle, the score card and the talking points together and puts the question to each leader. Pastor T’s answer came from Exodus 3 at Horeb (“Who am I?”) and Galatians 6:9: keep moving forward.
The closing session gathers the work of the two days: the development message, the prospect plan, the yearly cycle, the score card and the talking points, and asks one question of each leader: can this be done?
Giving USA data (2024: $592.5B, two-thirds from individuals, religion and education the largest categories), the first-meeting call script and face-to-face dialogue, the “ready donor” visit request, the thanking/reporting call script, the email of understanding, two example inner dialogues, and Salisbury Christian School’s full development message as the model to copy.
| Recipient (2024) | $ billions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Religion | $146.54B | 23% |
| Human services | $91.15B | 14% |
| Education | $88.32B | 14% |
| Gifts to foundations | $71.92B | 11% |
| Public-society benefit | $66.84B | 11% |
| Health | $60.51B | 10% |
| International affairs | $35.54B | 6% |
| Arts, culture, humanities | $25.13B | 4% |
| Gifts to individuals | $23.59B | 4% |
| Environment/animals | $21.57B | 3% |
| Source (2024) | $ billions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Individuals | $392.45B | 66% |
| Foundations | $109.81B | 19% |
| Bequests | $45.84B | 8% |
| Corporations | $44.40B | 7% |
For DDCA: two-thirds of American giving comes from individuals, and religion plus education is over a third of where it goes. A Christ-centered school sits in the two largest categories; the money exists, and the constraint is relationships, not generosity.
“Hi, [name]. As you know, we continue to grow, expand and strive for excellence at Donum Dei. I am planning for the future and learning how we can grow generous giving, and I would like to ask you some questions and get your input. I am not going to ask you for anything; I want your perspective. Do you have your calendar handy? I can give you a couple of days and times that would work.”
In the meeting (p. 89): three questions. What is your vision for what God could do through Donum Dei? Here is what we are working on; what advice would you give me? Who else should I be talking to?
“Hi, [name]. As you know, we continue to grow, expand and strive for excellence at Donum Dei. In recent conversations I have clarified our near-term plans and where we are going long term. We are at a point now where we can be very clear on what we are asking people to do to move us forward. Would you be willing to meet with me to share your thoughts on what we have planned and offer your reactions to what we are asking people to consider in terms of engagement and financial support? Do you have your calendar handy? I can give you a couple of days and times that would definitely work for me.”
Important note: this script provides a safe place in the face-to-face meeting to allow donors to react to your plan and levels, rather than giving a simple “yes” or “no” to a gift request.
Introduction. Hello, this is ___, I’m with the development team at Donum Dei Classical Academy; may I please speak to Mr. ___ or Mrs. ___?
Thank you. I’m calling just because we want to personally say “thank you” for all that you do for Donum Dei, especially for your giving this past year. Every gift is significant, and we want you to know we really appreciate you. This has been an amazing year in our history; you’ve made such a difference in getting us to this point, and I just wanted to remind you of that. We never take what you are doing for granted! (I don’t have access to what you have given; I just know you have given and want to thank you.)
Call attention to the report. I also want to make sure you received our recent report. Did you get that and have a chance to look at it? I would really encourage you to take the time to review it. It’s very important to us that you actually know how we’ve used your giving and the difference you are making.
Questions. Are there any questions I can answer for you, or any way I can serve you today? You can contact me directly if you ever need anything.
Conclusion. Please continue to remember us in your prayers and keep an eye out for our communications. Thank you again.
Thank you so much for your time during our recent meeting. I was so encouraged to hear you share your heart for Donum Dei. What a blessing to know that you are committed to our vision and future plans. I so appreciate the affirmation you expressed for the plans to move ahead, and the input regarding academic excellence.
What follows is my attempt to succinctly state my understanding of our time together:
1. We are working on the first step in immediate giving to fund our first project. I outlined the projects of improvement and enhancement that will benefit the people we serve.
2. Each project will be started as soon as cash is available through generous giving.
3. I asked that you pray and seriously consider how God would have you step out in faith and be a partner with us in this exciting time of our history.
Please know our heart of gratefulness to God for what He is doing through you. The impact of a giving commitment would be immediate because it will provide leadership to others as we share our vision and these next steps. I look forward to following up with you in the near future; please do not hesitate to call if you have any questions.
I am not easily discouraged. I am not easily discouraged. Today, I will run the race in such a way as to win. I am not easily discouraged, so I will endure and persist long past when others will quit. This is a great work I have begun, and I will seek God in every step I take, with all my effort, and with all my heart and I will prosper. The truth is that God has brought me through every season of instability, storms, and earth-shaking in my life up to this point. He is always using things that frustrate me to shape me to be more like Jesus, so I will endure to the end. When I feel it is time to quit, go home, or end my day, I will take just one more step forward and reach out to one more person. By doing so today, I am assured that I have persisted while others have already quit.
Today I will abide in Him. Today, I will walk with God and abide in Him so that I will constantly draw on His power, wisdom, and direction. Today, I will see that wisdom sits and calls out to me, where the paths meet and when I have a decision to make, and I will always know which way to go. I will listen carefully to those that communicate with me, and I will silently pray and seek to see the unseen and hear the unsaid. I will help people today see their value, and I will discover new ways to be useful to others. Today, I will choose wisdom as my traveling companion. When there is but a smoldering spark in others, rather than snuff it out with harsh words, I will breathe words of life and fan it into flame. Today, I will only speak words that are helpful for building others up according to their needs so that all I say benefits those who listen.
Foundational scripture. “In all things, Christ preeminent.” Colossians 1:18. Mission: to honor Jesus Christ by offering a comprehensive educational program founded upon Biblical truth and academic excellence. Vision: to engage, excite, and equip students to become resilient learners, passionate world changers, and steadfast followers of Jesus Christ. Core values: Responsibility, Relationships, Reverence, each with scripture.
Desired student outcomes in three groups: spiritual foundation, character formation, scholastic preparation; four bullets each.
History told in chapters (Foundation 1966 · Growth & Transition · Expansion · Blessing & Stability · Challenges & New Growth), from seven kindergartners and an orange Volkswagen van to 640 students, with the donors and churches who kept it alive named along the way.
Strategic priorities (2022 plan): four numbered priorities, each with two or three lettered sub-points: Christ-centered culture; exemplary faculty; diversified offerings; campus facilities.
Giving-driven steps with totals: Step 1 Years of Stability & Growth (2009–2019), $4.3M given; Step 2 Challenges & New Growth (2020–2023), $4M given, itemized (one-to-one devices, security, debt reduced, 9% faculty raises, tuition assistance up, 20% enrollment growth); Step 3 Planning and Preparing to Step into the Future (2023–2026), giving goal $5M (tuition-assistance endowment, transportation, “In All Things” endowment, ESS department, strategic reserve fund, site map to 850 students, SRO); Step 4 Building for a Strong Future (2026–2030), $XX needed (building projects, endowment growth).
The lesson for DDCA: the steps are written as history and plan in one document, each with a dollar total, none double the last, and the fourth left open. The DDCA version is drafted on the Development Plan tab and the Donor Development Dashboard.
The message is DDCA’s mission, vision and values, a vision profile that shows today and where the school is going in numbers, the five questions a giver will ask, and four giving-driven steps from the strategic plan (Step 1 complete; Step 2 fill the building; Step 3 the Women’s Center; Step 4 ~165 students). The prospect plan lists the transformational and major donors to retain, lapsed donors to regain, loyal donors to grow, Tier 1 churches, and foundations, each with a suggested next step.
Put the school on a footing donors can trust: clean books, monthly dashboards, an advancement team, and a banner giving year.
Operating support that closed FY26 at −$48K on $2.4M; the first Bloomerang and HubSpot licences; the advancement hires.
Retain the six households at $25K+ and thank all 63 FY26 donors before any FY27 ask.
Fill every seat in the current building so the economic model stands on its own, and turn one-time gifts into a pledge-based annual fund.
Access (a named scholarship fund for the 21 families on aid and the next 20), teacher pay at San Francisco market, and the operating gap while enrollment climbs.
Renew the six transformational households at their FY26 level through the full cycle (multi-year only if they offer it); a range ask ($2,500–$5,000) for new and mid-tier donors; missions-budget conversations with three Tier 1 churches.
Take the building next door: a dedicated Logic School, early childhood doubled, and the room to grow to 165 without a second campus.
Lease, renovation and furniture, fixtures and equipment for the Women’s Center (~$420K), plus the first Logic School faculty.
Capital gifts from the transformational tier (12–15 households at $25K+ by then); a foundation grant for the renovation; a church partner sponsoring a classroom.
A full school whose tuition covers the day to day, where philanthropy funds access and excellence rather than the operating gap, and whose donors return year after year.
Scholarships, faculty excellence, and the next thing forward (a third campus, a high school conversation) rather than rescue.
Endowed or multi-year scholarship commitments; church partnerships producing both families and gifts; donor retention above 60%.
Giving need: ~$943K in FY27 falling toward ~$283K at ~165 students (strategic plan). Step 3’s operating need is not yet modelled; the ~$420K is the one-time Women’s Center project.
Session 8’s rule: no step should be double the last. Step 1 was $3.1M (2019 – July 2026), so the $6M spreads across Steps 2–4 at roughly $2M each.
| Today | Where we are going |
|---|---|
| 94 students (86 Academy · 8 Nest), ~70 families | 102 in 2026–27 → ~120 with the building full → ~165 with the Women’s Center (2030–31) |
| Net tuition covers 61% of the $25,070 it costs to educate a child | Coverage climbs into the 90s as seats fill; cost per student falls toward ~$19,500 |
| Giving need ≈ $943K (FY27); $809K raised in FY26 on a ~$400K historical base | Giving need falls toward ~$283K at capacity; philanthropy becomes a deliberately sized pillar, not a rescue |
| 30–33% of tuition forgone for access; aid to 21 families | A named scholarship fund donors give to directly; discount glidepath toward 26% |
| Two donors = 57% of giving; retention 25% | A pyramid: 12–15 households at $25K+, a $1K–$25K tier of 40+, retention above 60% |