What is the Annual Fund and how does it differ from other fundraisers at OLA? The Annual Fund is a capital fund raiser which is a school year long event. This is the major source of funds for improving our physical plant and building our Teacher and Scholarship Endowments.

Why do we have both the Annual Fund and Home and School Fundraising? The Annual Fund receives funds directly from the donor and the donor receives no goods or services. The tax benefits of giving to the OLA Annual Fund make it attractive. Also, there are no overhead costs to the Annual Fund. Many corporations will match Annual Fund Donations which doubles your gift. Home and School Fundraising is a way to involve the entire community in raising money through various events such as raffles, auctions, gift wrap sales, store card uses, and many other events. These types of fundraisers enable OLA students or parents to sell to neighbors and friends, or to receive a benefit for their expenses. That way the OLA family is not directly carrying all the costs for the fundraiser(s). There is very little tax advantage to the donor in these fundraisers. However, the donor receives a value for their purchase/donation.

What exactly does my tuition payment cover? Can't we put all our costs in our tuition and skip the Annual Fund and Home and School Fundraising? OLA School Tuition has traditionally covered only the direct operating expenses of the school — what you pay in tuition payments covers exactly the teacher salaries and benefits, books and supplies, building maintenance and utilities, and student support.. Because we do not inflate tuition to cover Home and School fees or Annual Fund needs, OLA school tuition remains one of the least expensive among Catholic schools in the Atlanta area. By not including other costs in the tuition, we encourage those who can afford to give to the Annual Fund to do so; those who may be unable at this point in time to donate are still able to afford tuition payments for their child(ren).

Don't we get money from the Archdiocese?
No, we no longer receive any subsidy from the Archdiocese or parishes in the archdiocese. The 2001-2002 school year was the last year in a five year phase out of any subsidy money from the Archdiocese of Atlanta. For the five year phase out period, the subsidy paid to OLA was decreased 20% each year. OLA school worked hard to absorb these losses and to raise tuition by as little as possible. Now we are catching up with salary and benefit levels set by the Archdiocese. All school costs must be borne by the school.

Doesn't my parish pay money from their offertory for education? Doesn't this benefit OLA? The parishes in the Archdiocese who raise over $250,000 annually through their offertories are assessed at 15% of their offertories to finance the Department of Education for the Archdiocese. This money is paid directly to the Archdiocese and only comes back to OLA in the form of tuition assistance to those families who have applied to the Archdiocese for this help. These families may then reduce their tution payments by their assistance amount. The Archdiocese implemented this program because Catholic Education is the responsibility of all Catholics in our Archdiocese.

Where do we spend Annual Fund Money? Who makes these decisions? Annual Fund Money has historically been spent on repairing or replacing whatever was most urgently needed in our 50 year old facility. With the establishment of two endowment funds, the Teacher Endowment Fund and the Scholarship Endowment Fund, we are finally able to use a small portion of the Annual Fund for longer term planning. In the past, the OLA Principal, Parish Priest, and Business Manager have chosen the most urgent projects for Annual Fund Money expenditures. In September 2002, OLA School inducted a board of education. Annual Fund expenditures will be explored and recommended by a committee of board members.

Why am I being asked to make a pledge before December 31st if the Annual Fund Drive runs through June 30th of next year? We ask for your pledge early in the campaign so that we may assess how much money is available for building projects we wish to tackle.

Why do we have an Annual Fund Drive EVERY YEAR? The Annual Fund Drive provides us with funding to improve our plant facilities and build endowments. These are funds which affect our school for years to come; it is important to remember that this funding is what helps keep our tuition costs down.

What is the Teacher Endowment Fund? How does it work? The Teacher Endowment Fund was created to reward deserving teachers with bonuses or awards from time to time. Our teachers' average salary is 75-80% of a public school teacher in the metro area. The endowment fund awards will not be used to subsidize our payroll, but to reward our dedicated teachers with incentives from time to time. This fund is in a building phase, and when it reaches $ 1 million, we will be able to use the annual interest to pay out awards.

What is the Scholarship Endowment Fund? How does it work? The Scholarship Endowment Fund was begun so that the school would have a fund to offer tuition assistance to those families who, for whatever reason, have financial difficulty making tuition payments. This may be due to a temporary situation, or a job loss. This is not to replace any money we receive from the Archdiocesan Tuition Assistance — it is a short term assistance program only. This fund is in an endowment building phase and, when it reaches $ 1 million, will have the annual interest to fund partial scholarships.

Why can't we use some of our annual fund money to replace the carpet/redo the lights/fix up the gym? The gym is part of the Murray Center, which is managed by Our Lady of the Assumption parish. Our school leases the gym during the school year and pays for a portion of the maintenance. Any changes in the building are decided by the parish. At this time, the parish prefers to keep a carpeted floor in the gym in order to use it for various social events.

May I give money directly to my child's class? All classroom needs have been anticipated in the operating budget. We encourage you to give to the Annual Fund instead so that each classroom is treated equally. The Annual Fund expenditures will benefit your child's class as well as the rest of the school. In addition, you will be provided with documentation for tax purposes.

Where was the Annual Fund Money spent in the last few years?
Here is a brief list of Annual Fund uses/expenditures since its inception ten years ago:

As you can see, many people who contributed to our Annual Fund early on helped fund our Mercy Hall Addition — OLA was the first school to undertake and completely self-finance an addition of this nature. Many donors had children who graduated prior to its completion, yet they believed in the dream of an enhanced school for OLA students. Your contributions now will benefit Catholic students for years to come!

How do I find out if my employer matches my donations to OLA? There is a separate link on the Annual Fund Home Page that lists companies who have matched donations to OLA or other schools. If your company is not listed, please check with your Human Resources Dept. Most companies who match education donations will match donations to Catholic schools. Once you receive your matching form from your employer, fill out your section of the form and send it in with your check. I will document the donation and provide the necessary supporting documents when I forward the matching request to your company.

May I donate stock to the Annual Fund? Yes! OLA may receive
stock donations and then sell them through our account. Just call or email the Development Office to receive the instructions and account numbers.

How much should I give to the Annual Fund? What do most people give? What you give is up to you. Prayers are always welcome and encouraged! We also have four categories of giving:

Why is OLA more expensive than the last Catholic School we attended in _____? Because of the explosive growth of Catholics in the Southeast, we are still playing "catch up" in building schools. The Archdiocese of Atlanta instituted their new model five years ago which reduced direct subsidies to the schools. Each school is now responsible for funding their own operating budget. In our case, tuition covers the actual cost of educating your child(ren). OLA is still one of the least expensive Catholic Schools in Atlanta.