St. Rita Catholic Community

THE CHALLENGE

As a growing Catholic community, St. Rita needed more space. A landlocked campus meant that expansion wasn’t an option so the parish leaders knew they would have to reconfigure their existing campus to better meet the needs of this thriving parish and school. A multi-year master planning process established the goals and vision for the campus renovation. With the plan established, St. Rita had to find a way to raise the funds necessary while still maintaining their mission and identity as a stewardship parish.

THE VISION

The complete renovation of the St. Rita campus included:

• A new entryway pointing to the community’s central focus, the church
• Construction of a parish commons for large gatherings, meetings and programs
• Construction of a gymnasium and a reception space
• Additional meeting rooms and classroom space
• Centralized offices for the parish and school
• An improved school cafeteria and kitchen
• More parking and enhanced traffic flow

THE SOLUTION

St. Rita Catholic Community hired the Steier Group to lead a major capital campaign to renovate their campus. The Steier Group developed a unique plan for this stewardship parish that resulted in a $2 million lead gift and built ownership among key leaders and potential donors. The success of the silent phase, combined with a well-organized public phase that reached out to parish members, school families, corporations and foundations, has allowed the parish to raise more than $10 million in cash and pledges plus $2 million in deferred gifts.