Building a Culture of Legacy Planned Giving for Catholic Schools

Planned Giving for Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore

The world of advancement is evolving. The best time to start a planned giving program was twenty years ago. The second-best time is today!

Across the country, financial experts anticipate that more than $80 trillion will be transferred from one generation to the next, often referred to as the Great Transfer of Wealth. For Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the first diocese established in the United States and often called the Premier See, this moment represents a remarkable opportunity to secure the future of Catholic education for generations to come.

Planned giving is not simply a financial strategy. It is an invitation rooted in faith, gratitude, and stewardship. It invites alumni, parents, grandparents, parishioners, and friends to make a lasting impact on the mission that helped form them and their families.

Legacy is the greater gift: faith, memories, and the opportunity for future generations to grow through Catholic education and values that shape responsible leaders.

Impact Across Our Archdiocese

Within our archdiocese, we are already seeing the impact of this generosity. Through the Catholic Community Foundation Archdiocese of Baltimore (CCF), Catholic schools have received more than $26 million in endowment distributions. To date, $87 million has been contributed to CCF endowments. Thanks to professional investment management, these funds have grown to more than $135 million and generated over $50 million in distributions for Catholic ministries and schools.

These endowments provide a permanent and sustainable source of support. Some schools with established funds receive average annual distributions of approximately $100,000, strengthening scholarships, supporting faculty, and reinforcing long-term financial stability.

Even more encouraging: research shows that individuals often give 2.7 times more through bequests and planned gifts than they do during their lifetimes. This means that many of our donors' most significant legacies are simply waiting for the right opportunity to be realized.

Ways to Give: Meeting Donors Where They Are

While a legacy gift is a deeply personal decision that may happen later in life, providing a variety of ways to give allows supporters to participate in the mission of Catholic education at every stage of life.

Schools can foster this lifelong partnership by highlighting these meaningful options:

Regular Giving: Recurring weekly or monthly gifts provide reliable support for daily school operations, helping sustain academic excellence, faith formation, and student programs.

One-Time Gifts: Special contributions can help fund immediate needs such as facility improvements, student activities, or new initiatives.

IRA Charitable Gifts: Supporters who are 70½ or older may transfer funds directly from an IRA to a school, potentially satisfying required minimum distributions while offering tax advantages.

Stocks and Securities: Gifts of appreciated assets—such as stocks or mutual funds—can provide tax-efficient support while maximizing the value of a donor’s contribution.

Bequests and Estate Gifts: Including a Catholic school in a will or estate plan creates a lasting legacy that supports future generations of students and families. Supporters can write their legal will for free at My Catholic Will using the code ARCHBALT.

The Power of Endowment

While annual gifts sustain today’s needs, endowments protect tomorrow’s mission. An endowment is often described as “the gift that keeps on giving.” Through professional investment and careful stewardship, the original gift remains invested while a portion of the earnings is distributed each year to support the school.

For Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, endowment funds managed through The Catholic Community Foundation of Maryland provide a permanent and reliable source of support. These funds strengthen tuition assistance, faculty development, academic programs, and the long-term sustainability of Catholic education. Over time, even a single planned gift can grow into a lasting legacy that will support students, families, and faith formation for generations to come.

A Mission Rooted in Stewardship

Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore are more than educational institutions; they are ministries of evangelization. They form disciples, strengthen families, and serve as anchors in their communities.

Planned giving ensures that this mission continues long after today’s students graduate. This work is not only about financial sustainability. It is about legacy. It is about inviting the faithful to participate in something enduring.

Together, we can build a culture of legacy, one conversation, one family, and one faithful gift at a time.

📌 Learn More About Planned Giving and Endowments

For support in establishing or strengthening an endowment or planned giving program:

Garrett Schiche Senior Director Catholic Community Foundation of Maryland 📧garrett.schiche@archbalt.org📞 410-547-5461

For advancement guidance for Catholic schools:

Marthamaria Morales-Elliott School Advancement Director, Archdiocese of Baltimore

📧marthamaria.elliott@archbalt.org📞 410-547-5323