For generations, Catholic education was affordable in large part because schools were staffed primarily by nuns. By the 1990s, as the numbers of women religious dwindled, that model became unsustainable. Rising tuition began to put Catholic education beyond the reach of more and more families.
To address the growing crisis, the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis earmarked a portion of funds raised in capital campaigns — “Family of Faith” and “Growing in Faith” — for Catholic schools. And it entrusted CCF to steward the funds as endowments to preserve and grow them. Those decisions made more than 30 years ago guaranteed financial support for Catholic schools for generations.
“From the start, CCF has benefited from wise and visionary people who recognized the need to plan for the future,” explains CCF President Anne Cullen Miller. “From our earliest days as a Catholic community foundation, CCF has been dedicated to stewarding and growing these endowments.”
As the endowment balances have grown over the years, so has their impact. In 2024, CCF distributed $748,000 to K–8 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis in the form of tuition assistance grants.
Schools with more than five percent of students qualifying for the federal free and reduced price lunch program — commonly used as a proxy for poverty — are eligible to receive tuition assistance grants. The CCF grants team determines how much to grant to an individual school by considering factors such as the number of students enrolled at the school, the percentage of students who qualify for free/reduced-price lunch, and the overall financial wellbeing of the school. The goal is to distribute funds widely while prioritizing schools with the greatest need.
Making Catholic Education Accessible
Risen Christ Catholic School is a primary recipient of CCF tuition assistance grants. Of the more than 300 students enrolled in the south Minneapolis K–8 school, 88 percent qualify for free/reduced-price lunch. The average family at Risen Christ contributes less than $700 to the school’s $7,000+ per-pupil expenditure. Charitable support is vital to filling the gap.
Risen Christ President Mike Rogers proudly describes a school culture where students — 94 percent of whom are Latino — feel celebrated and supported. “We are the only Catholic dual immersion school in Minnesota,” he points out. “Every student graduating from Risen Christ is fully bilingual and biliterate in English and Spanish, which really gives them a leg up when it comes to higher education.”
Risen Christ’s dependence on philanthropy makes the reliable support it receives from CCF crucial. “Budgeting is difficult for a school like ours,” Mike says. “Knowing CCF’s tuition assistance grants will come in September is immensely helpful.”
Mike also appreciates receiving the financial support as block grants. By distributing a lump sum to the school rather than awarding individual students, school leaders have discretion over the allocation of the funds. “It allows us to get those funds to students who need them the most, and it gives families confidence that they can afford to be here,” Mike explains. “I’m very proud to say we’ve never turned a family away because they can’t afford to pay. CCF and its donors help make that possible.”
Climbing Enrollment — and Need for Support
St. Dominic School, the only Catholic grade school in Northfield, is also a routine recipient of CCF tuition assistance grants. St. Dominic has a rich history dating to 1926, when it served as a boarding school for rural students during winter months when travel was difficult or unsafe. Principal Shawn Dudley, herself a graduate, returned to St. Dominic two years ago after retiring as principal from a public grade school in Edina. “We’re a small school with a big heart and outstanding academics,” Shawn says proudly.
Enrollment at St. Dominic was up nearly 15 percent this year, climbing to 113 students. Also on the rise were requests for financial aid. “Most of the students coming to us have a great need for financial support,” says Shawn. “Even for families where mom and dad are working, it’s not enough sometimes to make ends meet. These families want a Catholic education for their children but don’t have the means to access it.”
Last year 66 percent of students enrolled at St. Dominic received financial aid. This year that share grew to more than 70 percent. “We couldn’t fulfill our mission without the support of CCF and the other foundations that help us,” Shawn says. “We rely on those funds, and the need will continue to grow. I always pray for benefactors who have a heart for supporting Catholic education.”
Looking to the Future
Anne Cullen Miller observes that the impact of tuition assistance grants, funded by contributions made decades ago, perfectly demonstrates the power of endowments. “We are grateful for those who had the foresight to create these endowments and the many forward-thinking people who funded them, and we have a responsibility to keep growing them,” says Anne. “It’s our turn to pass on the blessings we have received to ensure the future of Catholic education.”
If you would like to contribute to CCF’s tuition assistance endowment, you can give online here. To make a grant to the tuition assistance endowment from your CCF donor advised fund, sign into DonorSphere here.