Annual Fund

Annual Fund

What is the Annual Fund Drive?

In January each year you begin to hear about the Annual Fund Drive. If you are fairly new to St. Mark School or if you remember the Fund Drive by its former name – the Phonathon – here are the details:

The Annual Fund Drive is a year-round process of soliciting funds which are used to make the difference between the cost of tuition and the true cost of educating our students. These monies added to the Auction proceeds and the Parish subsidy help us to keep tuition rates more affordable for all of our families.

We run the Annual Fund Drive on the following schedule:

Early February: We write a letter to all of our parishioners to ask them for a pledge to St. Mark School. One-third of our parish families respond with pledges and checks for the full amount of their pledge. Click Here for a pledge card.
Late February: We have a complementary kick-off dinner to which all school parents and parishioners are invited. The food is excellent and the students entertain guests. We tally the pledges at the end of the evening and usually end up with $20,000 in pledges/checks.
Early March: The pledges and checks continue to roll in and we have a phoning night where many of our wonderful parents call and talk to parishioners who have yet to respond to our original request.
Late March: All school families who haven’t yet pledged get the opportunity at school registration.
Throughout the year: Friends of St. Mark School continue to pay their pledges and use the envelope in Connections to make additional donations when moved by the Spirit.

We are blessed to have generous and supportive parish and school families.

ANNUAL FUND - 2004-2005 – GOAL = $80,000

The kick-off dinner is scheduled for March 5 and and we have great expectations for this year’s drive. The food is absolutely fabulous; there is free babysitting, and we expect that the children will be performing. If you missed it last year, be sure to make plans to attend this year! Grandparents, godparents, aunts and uncles are welcome to come as well. Our goal is $80,000 in pledges. This will ensure all of our children have the opportunity to receive a Catholic education. If you'd like to help out, Click Here!.

We support the efforts of the St. Mark Development Program; how can we get involved?

Please contact Cathy Sullivan, Development Director, St. Mark School, 206-364-1633, email development@stmarkseattle.org.