Building a fundraising and alumni engagement program from the ground up to help secure the future of Our Lady of Sorrows School.
The Challenge
As Catholic schools throughout Westchester County continued to face financial pressure and closures, the Lancers Foundation sought to build long-term sustainability for Our Lady of Sorrows School through the creation of a strategic fundraising initiative and future endowment support campaign.
At the outset, there was little formal fundraising infrastructure in place. The Foundation needed to organize alumni engagement efforts, establish operational systems, strengthen data collection, and create a long-term strategy capable of supporting both fundraising growth and community connection.
The Strategy
Cimi worked closely with Foundation leadership and a committed group of alumni volunteers to help build the fundraising framework from the ground up.
Our work included helping organize committees, facilitating strategy discussions, identifying and coordinating alumni class leads, and creating a community-based engagement model designed to strengthen alumni participation and long-term philanthropic support.
Cimi also led efforts to modernize and strengthen fundraising infrastructure by:
- Conducting data enhancement and outreach efforts to improve alumni contact records
- Utilizing alumni class leads to help verify and expand database accuracy
- Implementing a new donor database and integrating it with the school’s existing systems
- Establishing email communications and e-blast outreach through Constant Contact
- Creating solicitation and invitation strategies
- Supporting event planning logistics and alumni engagement initiatives
- Facilitating committee meetings and strategic planning conversations surrounding campaign readiness and long-term sustainability
The Impact
The engagement helped establish a foundational fundraising and alumni engagement structure for the Lancers Foundation while significantly improving donor data, communications capacity, volunteer organization, and long-term campaign readiness.
By helping create systems, strategy, and stronger alumni connectivity, the Foundation was better positioned to build sustainable philanthropic support for Catholic education and the future of Our Lady of Sorrows School.
Learn more about Lancers Foundation
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