St. Michael’s Abbey

In 1998, a mudslide destroyed one of the school buildings at St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado, California. This led to a site inspection and the painful realization that the abbey’s buildings were sitting on geographically unstable land. At the same time, a positive development – the explosive growth in seminarians – made it clear that the abbey had outgrown its current space. During the mid-2000s, the Norbertines launched a $120 million campaign to purchase land and build a new abbey. The campaign raised $80 million but lost momentum. In 2016, the abbey partnered with the Steier Group. The firm conducted an in-depth campaign assessment that discovered more than $10 million in support and dozens of donors willing to make a planned gift. Based on these findings, the campaign efforts refocused on potential major donors. The Steier Group campaign manager also offered much-needed logistical support to the abbey’s lean advancement office, including helping to implement an ongoing monthly giving team to support the campaign and the abbey’s ministries. In less than 12 months, the Steier Group helped St. Michael hit goal, which allowed the Norbertines to break ground on their new abbey. In total, the Steier Group has helped the abbey raise $53 million.