The St. Joan of Arc School tradition dates back almost 100 years. Over these years, the school has been blessed with many leaders, pastors, principals and parents, with a vision to ensure that SJA continues to grow and prosper long into the future. During Sister Carolyn’s 50 year tenure, a decision was made to create an endowment to support the school finances for our teachers and students today and into future generations.
What is an Endowment?
An endowment is intended to be a “forever fund.” Contributions to the fund are invested, professionally managed and there is a maximum amount that can be withdrawn each year to support the school. The key feature of an endowment is that it is designed to last in perpetuity and grow over time.
Here’s how it works:
- Donations are invested: When you donate to the SJA Endowment, your gift becomes part of the fund’s corpus, which is carefully invested for long-term growth. The SJA Endowment is structured to grow over time through limits on withdrawals and growth of the fund’s corpus.
- Compounding growth: Any investment gains the school does not use are reinvested, allowing the fund to grow. This “snowball effect” increases the fund’s ability to support the school over time.
Why Is an Endowment Important?
A strong endowment provides stability, sustainability, and opportunity:
- Stability: It cushions the school from unexpected financial challenges, such as rising costs or economic downturns.
- Sustainability: By preserving the corpus, the endowment creates a long-term source of income for the school.
- Opportunity: With predictable income, we can enhance our programs, explore innovations, and continue to offer an exceptional education rooted in Catholic faith.
Strategic Use of the Endowment
The endowment is managed with a focus on long-term sustainability. This means we approach its use thoughtfully and with discipline.
- Roll-Over Gains: Some years, the school may decide not to pull from the fund, letting the returns stay invested. This decision allows the fund to grow faster, increasing its future potential.
- Professional Management: The SJA Endowment is overseen by financial professionals who balance growth with stability, ensuring the fund remains robust through the market. The Diocese of Joliet and a board of directors from diocesan schools manage this process for us.
- Withdrawal Limits: To protect the fund’s longevity, there are strict rules on how much can be withdrawn that cannot be modified by St. Joan of Arc School. The withdrawal limits are low and in most years less than the investment returns.
- Thoughtful Decision-Making: Distributions are made strategically to align with key priorities, such as filling critical budget gaps, funding tuition assistance, or investing in faculty and technology.
How You Can Help
Building a strong endowment requires the support of our entire community. Every gift, large or small, makes a difference and becomes a lasting part of our school’s legacy.
Here’s how you can contribute:
- Donate: A gift today helps grow the fund and strengthens its
- Earmark your gift: You can designate your contribution for specific purposes like scholarships, teacher salaries, or facility improvements.
- Plan your legacy: Including the SJA Endowment in your estate planning ensures your commitment to Catholic education will endure for generations.
Why Give to an Endowment?
A strong endowment would provide St. Joan of Arc School the following benefits:
- Reduce annual fundraising burden
- Create a financially strong school with more consistent funding sources
- Invest in innovative program ideas
- A consistent supplement to faculty budget allowing Joan of Arc School to retain and attract teachers and staff
- Potential to moderate tuition growth and provide greater financial aid for families
- Provide the Joan of Arc School experience to future generations of students
- Ability for donor to designate use or allow the school to determine appropriate use in categories such as faculty, scholarships, technology, and buildings and facilities
Join Us in Building a Legacy
The SJA Endowment is more than just a financial tool—it's a promise to our students, our families, teachers, and our faith community to provide continued financial support year after year.
Your generosity today will impact countless lives tomorrow.
Let's honor the tradition of St. Joan of Arc today while embracing a vision for the future.
Information on how to donate coming soon.