Omaha Catholic School Consortium

THE CHALLENGE

For more than a century, Catholic schools in South Omaha have been a cornerstone of education, faith and community. The mission continued through the Omaha Catholic School Consortium, which unites six schools and 16 parishes in the common goal of supporting Catholic education. Challenges faced the organization: rising costs and demand for tuition assistance for educating students, teacher compensation gaps making it difficult to recruit and retain excellent educators, and aging facilities requiring urgent repairs and needed improvements. Without action, the ability to remain accessible, attract and support talented teachers and preserve the historic campuses would be at risk.

THE VISION

There were three clear objectives for the extraordinary fundraising effort, which included:

• Providing additional tuition assistance.
• Supporting increased compensation and benefits for Catholic school teachers.
• Preserving and improving schools and campuses, addressing the most urgent repairs first.

THE SOLUTION

The Consortium partnered with the Steier Group to bring the ambitious vision to life. Having previously partnered with the Steier Group through an archdiocesan campaign, leadership at the Consortium trusted the expertise and creativity of the team. The Steier Group collaborated to build a tailored plan, unique to the multi-faceted community. Guiding the Creating Bright Futures in Christ Capital Campaign, the dedicated Steier team walked side-by-side with campaign leadership to deliver results and pivot as the project required. The successful campaign exceeded the Steier Group goal and had remarkable impact: all teachers received a 13% increase in their base salary, more families than ever received tuition assistance, and crucial repairs and upgrades were immediately addressed, protecting the legacy and future of Catholic schools in Omaha. This campaign not only met its goals but strengthened the community as a whole.