Bishop Ward High School

THE CHALLENGE

Bishop Ward High School has provided excellent Catholic education for families in Kansas City, Kansas, for more than a century. As the only Catholic high school in Wyandotte County, Bishop Ward plays a critical role in providing students with access to a faith-filled education. But serving a community where 86% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch and 81% are first-generation college students comes with unique challenges. The aging school building urgently needed repairs and modernization. Classrooms lacked up-to-date technology. Infrastructure issues were mounting. And the need for increased scholarship support had never been greater. Bishop Ward leadership knew they needed a bold, comprehensive solution — one that would secure the school’s future. Additionally, the school community had already attempted a recent fundraising campaign without success.

THE VISION

With a commitment to its mission and its students, Bishop Ward sought new guidance to create a fundraising campaign that could meet several immediate facility needs and long-term sustainability goals. Goals for a campaign included:

• Renovating learning spaces to provide students with modern technology and an enhanced educational environment.
• Addressing critical infrastructure repairs to ensure a safe, functional campus.
• Growing the school’s endowment to strengthen scholarship support and financial aid for future students.

THE SOLUTION

Bishop Ward High School partnered with the Steier Group to bring this vision to life. With a customized, strategic approach to meet the school’s ambitious goals, the Steier Group worked closely with school leadership to analyze donor data, identify potential major gift prospects and engage key constituents and volunteers early in the process. An onsite campaign manager worked with the school to develop all-new campaign materials, including a powerful case statement and donor-focused marketing tools that told Bishop Ward’s story with clarity and passion for The St. Joseph Campaign for Bishop Ward. Build. Repair. Sustain. Capital Campaign. The campaign was more than just raising funds. The effort strengthened the spirit of Bishop Ward — uniting alumni, parents and supporters around a shared mission to build, repair and sustain a vital Catholic institution serving Kansas City.