Annual Fund

Each year, the cost of providing a Sacred Heart Schools education exceeds tuition revenue. Tuition at SHS covers only 83 percent of the actual cost of educating our students. The current difference (“The Gap”) between tuition and cost is eight percent. The Annual Fund makes up approximately seven percent of our operating budget and provides the unrestricted dollars that SHS needs to support its programs after taking into account tuition funds and additional income such as endowment, rental and summer camp revenue. It is the primary means for bridging the Gap.

The "Gap" per student

Gifts to the Annual Fund help to ensure:

• Competitive salaries for faculty of the highest caliber
• A challenging academic program and rich extracurricular activities
• Religion, an extra core curricular subject, is part of our mission to raise and educate our students in a faith-based environment
• A talented and diverse student body
• Small class sizes
• Premier fine arts and athletic programs
• Need-based financial assistance

Participation in the Annual Fund is vitally important. We encourage each member of the Sacred Heart community to contribute, no matter what the amount of the gift. Gifts of all sizes are meaningful to the school and its students, and participation is a key factor reviewed by charitable foundations when making educational grants.

Parents are encouraged to contribute to close The Gap.  In 2010-11, over 96 percent participated in the Annual Fund.  Alumnae/i and Parents of Alumnae/i provide generous support, ensuring that students following in their footsteps receive the excellent Sacred Heart education and experience they did. Grandparents and Friends support SHS by visiting campus each year for events such as Grandparents Day and participating in the Annual Fund. Faculty and Staff participate each year. For the past several years, they have reached 100 percent participation within the first few weeks of each academic year.