Catholic schools have seats available right now, and scholarships are being offered to families in need

As a community foundation, we take pride in the promotion of the good works of the grants that we make from our clients’ funds. For the next few months, we are running a campaign to bring greater awareness to the grants our donors make available for Catholic school education. This privately funded campaign has a two-pronged approach – first to invite students and their families to attend our Catholic schools and second to demonstrate the return on investment a Catholic school education offers.

The invitation: Through the campaign, families throughout the five regions of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles will learn that Catholic schools are an affordable option and an excellent choice for Pre-K through High School learning. Families are encouraged to go to their pastor or their local Catholic school to ask for an application and a tuition assistance form. Our schools are parochial schools, not private schools, and are available to all who want to come.

The investment: The campaign will appeal to donors who want to invest in the future of this community and our Church by supporting the under-served children who attend Catholic schools. The return on the investment is expressed in continuation and graduation rates as well as the character, ethics and good citizenship that is developed in each student.

Overall, the campaign’s message is that schools are open, and offer a diverse curriculum that runs the gamut from basic reading, writing and math to science, technology, and performing arts. Seats are available (and affordable) so a quality learning experience in a faith-filled environment is there for those who choose a Catholic school. Just apply and join a caring and safe environment and to find out the possibilities! As for the donors, the campaign’s message is simply that there is no greater investment in a student, especially a student living at or below the poverty line, than in providing them access to a quality Catholic school education.

As you hear our message over the airwaves, social media platforms and in print, please send your thoughts and any feedback you may wish to share. The campaign is 100% funded from private donors.

Kathy Anderson

President and Executive Director

CCF-LA’s Catholic school awareness campaign builds momentum to compliment CEF’s grassroots efforts

With an 8^th to 9^th grade matriculation rate of 100% and a high school graduation rate and college acceptance rate of 98%, access to our Catholic schools is crucial and life-changing for both the families and communities we serve through the Catholic Education Foundation. These results are remarkable when considering the average income of a family of four receiving a CEF tuition award is $36,500 and these families live in the most economically underserved areas of our Archdiocese.  

This school year alone, CEF has provided tuition awards for over 14,000 students and funded approximately $21 million. Thanks to the New Enrollment Initiative (NEI) program, there are over 4,000 new students in our Catholic school system year-to-date.  

Over the past two years, CEF has been working directly with school principals and administrative staff on grassroots marketing and communications. We provide resources, training, Zoom workshops and marketing collateral to schools participating in the NEI program to market their schools and inform their communities of the availability of tuition awards – all in order to boost enrollment. Every unfilled seat is a missed opportunity for a child to learn and succeed.

CCF-LA’s Catholic school awareness campaign will build another level of momentum to compliment CEF’s grassroots efforts. Our Catholic schools are excited and prepared for the campaign’s message that their schools are available, affordable, and ready to teach their children in a faith-filled environment.

In 35 years, CEF funded 215,000 tuition awards and disbursed over $242 million to students across the three counties of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Now is a moment in time to get the word out and ensure that our Catholic schools will always be there to provide an exceptional, well-rounded education in a safe and nurturing environment guided by the values of our faith.  

It has been my privilege and honor to administer the CEF programs for over 25 years. It’s a good investment and I know it works. Every tuition award application I read reminded me of my family. My grandparents could not read nor write, my father had a third-grade education, and my mother was nearly ten years old when she began school because my grandfather didn’t believe a woman needed an education. The greatest gift my parents bestowed upon me was a Catholic school education in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and for this I am forever grateful.

Theresa Fragoso

Director of Operations, Programs and Chief of Staff