CSDP
“It is the responsibility of the entire Catholic community - bishops, priests, deacons, religious and laity - to continue to strive towards the goal of making our Catholic elementary and secondary schools available, accessible, and affordable to all Catholic parents and their children, including those who are poor and middle class.”
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 2005
In 2005, the Board of Trustees of the Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo made a strategic decision to support a multi-year effort to provide systemic intervention in our Catholic elementary schools as they faced a new future. As announced at the 2006 Celebrate Catholic Education Dinner, the International Education Foundation, founded by Mr. Robert Healey, and the Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo are partnering to implement the Catholic School Development Program in the Diocese of Buffalo.
The Catholic School Development Program (CSDP) supports the growth of Catholic elementary schools and school systems by providing pro bono consulting services in enrollment management and marketing, fundraising, financial and facilities management, and governance.
The Catholic School Development Program is an extension of the International Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) corporation, founded in 2004 by Robert T. Healey headquartered in New Jersey to support the educational aspirations of deserving young people. Guided by sound educational and business strategies, the Catholic School Development Program works to re-imagine and re-engineer management and governance principles to ensure the long-term financial stability of the schools. CSDP has been working since August, 2004 with the 53 elementary schools of the Diocese of Camden (NJ) to implement a diocesan-wide, school specific program designed to increase revenues and strengthen management and governance.
CSDP in the Diocese of Buffalo began with a pilot phase of 12 Catholic elementary schools in February, 2006. Phase II will begin on January 1, 2007 and 10 schools were selected to participate. Additional phases, should they be implemented, will coincide with 07/08 through 08/09 school years.
CSDP in the Diocese of Buffalo Process Outline:
Initial explanatory meeting with a carefully selected group of 8 – 12 individuals representing the whole of the school and parish communities.
- Step 1: A series of 8 – 12 forty-five minute interviews with men and women who represent the heart and soul of the school community. From these interviews an accurate picture of the school's strengths and needs can be developed.
- Step 2: Based on the interviews, an assessment of data about school and parish, and the current state of strategic planning in the school and parish, CSDP works with the parish and the school to create a short-term action plan to meet the immediate needs of the school - and an action plan that centers on important objectives in marketing and fundraising, objectives designed to increase enrollment and revenues. From that initial work, we then determine the steps necessary to build an overarching five-year business plan for the school with measurable, feasible objectives for enrollment management and marketing, fundraising, facilities, finance and governance.
- Step 3: Assistance is provided with designing and implementing consultative boards in the schools, working closely with the Diocese to develop by-laws, operational principles and training for board members.
Click here to visit the CSDP website
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