The Advancement Office of the Elk County Catholic School System is responsible for many aspects of the school system. First and foremost, it processes all the charitable gifts that are donated to the school system through the ECCSS Fund, Business Sponsorship Fund, EITC Program, ECCSS Memorial Fund, student scholarships, etc. The office also is in charge of keeping track of the 12,000+ alumni, friends, supporters, and benefactors of the school system in its database through name and address changes, marriage and death dates, etc. The office heads the recruitment initiative of the system, attempting to boost the enrollment of our schools. The marketing efforts that have taken place over the last several years is the work of the ECCSS Marketing Team, made up of several members of the Advancement Office. Public relations, special events, design and branding initiatives, and alumni activities are also part of the office’s endeavors.
To learn more about our funds and database updating, continue to read below.
The ECCSS Fund
The Advancement Team’s main focus is the growth of the ECCSS Fund, the primary fund for charitable giving to our school system. The fund benefits everything in our system: academics, technology, spiritual development, athletics, music, salaries/benefits, maintenance, utilities, supplies, and so on. When planning gifts to charity, all in our school community are encouraged to consider this year-round fund. Both unrestricted and restricted gifts are tracked. Donations may be by check, credit card, cash, and PayPal and are payable to “The ECCSS Fund.” Quarterly or semi-annual gift payments may facilitate giving at a higher level. See the levels of giving below.
ECCSS Fund Levels of Giving Leaders of the Mission – $10,000 and above Guardians of the Mission – $5,000 to $9,999 Partners in the Mission – $2,500 to $4,999 Founders’ Club – $2,000 to $2,499 President’s Club – $1,000 to $1,999 Principals’ Club – $500 to $999 Maroon & Gold Club – $250 to $499 Crusader Club – $100 to $249 ECC Spirit Club – Up to $99
Donations of any amount may be designated to the ECCSS Fund for scholarship. For families requesting financial aid, scholarships are awarded in late spring for the next school year. During each school year, if special needs arise for a family such as loss of a family member, unemployment, loss of property, medical emergencies, etc., scholarships provide support. Students needing assistance who transfer during a school year may also be helped.
A donor may provide scholarship for students as they progress from year-to-year provided the system, and not the donor, designates the recipients. For thank you purposes, families may be given names of donors who provided scholarship assistance, but to ensure confidentiality, names of students are not released to donors.
Individually named funds may be established with a starting point of $10,000. The donor may contribute the entire amount or make a commitment to that amount. For example, the donor may commit to a gift of $3,333.33 per year for three years, but the named fund can begin with the initial donation. Once the $10,000 is reached, the donor is encouraged to continue giving for the growth of the fund. Named funds are held in endowment, and by law, a maximum of 7% total return can be taken from the fund each year. Our system plans to withdraw no more than 5%; thus a $500 scholarship would be awarded each year from a $10,000 fund. During the commitment period, the donor may wish to contribute the $500 scholarship outright each year until the fund is in place at the $10,000 amount.
Memorial Fund
The ECCSS Memorial Fund is a great way to honor someone, living or deceased, through a special gift to our schools. All honored individuals are remembered during our weekly school liturgies through special intentions and prayer requests.
Click hereto make an online donation in memory or in honor of someone.
Business Sponsorship
The three ECCSS schools look to the generous tradition of support from its corporate and business giving program to provide the wide variety of academic, cultural, athletic and spiritual programs that make our schools unique and competitive. We invite you to respond to our meaningful annual request. See the donor levels below.
Business Sponsorship Donor Levels Lead Sponsor – Gold – $10,000 and above Lead Sponsor – Silver – $5,000 to $9,999 Lead Sponsor – Bronze – $2,500 to $4,999 Sustaining Sponsor – Gold – $1,000 to $2,499 Sustaining Sponsor – Silver – $500 to $999 Sustaining Sponsor – Bronze – $250 to $499 Supporter – $100 to $249 Patron – Up to $100
Payment options are available.
We deeply appreciate your partnership with us in advancing the mission of a strong Catholic educational program for the communities we serve. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to become a corporate and business sponsor, have any questions, or need additional information.
Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC) – PA Act 48
The EITC program is a wonderful way for businesses to fund scholarships for our students and save on taxes as the same time. It’s a win-win strategy!
Corporations, subchapter S corporations and other business entities that pay their Pennsylvania business taxes under the personal income tax on PA business income can now fully participate in the program.
There are three steps to the process (this example is based on a $1,000 scholarship with 90% tax credit.)
STEP 1 Go to https://dced.pa.gov/. Under Business, click on and click on Funding and Program Finder. Click on EITC, then Where to Apply, then EITC Business Guidelines. The one-page application is on page 8. The business donor fills out the application for the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) with the request to donate $1,000 to our schools.
STEP 2 DCED sends approval, and the business donor donates $1,000 to:
STAR Foundation Scholarship Fund of the Diocese of Erie PO Box 10397 Erie, PA 16514-0397
The business donor should designate the Elk County Catholic School System to benefit from the gift.
STEP 3 The STAR Foundation sends the business donor a receipt to send to DCED for tax credit (90% for donations K through 12). The client receives a minimum of $900 tax credit on the $1,000 gift to us. The STAR Foundation distributes to our schools the entire $1,000 for scholarship.
The $1,000 charitable gift also qualifies for a deduction on the business donor’s federal income tax return.
$1,000 Scholarship – Business Donor’s Final Cost: $45.00 $10,000 Scholarship – Business Donor’s Final Cost: $450.00
Note: This example is based on participation for two years. Participation for one year earns a 75% deduction. The deduction for preschool is 100%.
Please contact us if you would like to participate in the EITC program.
Legacy Society
The good that we do lives after us … if we have the foresight to make a will.
ECCSS and the three Catholic parishes of St. Mary’s, Sacred Heart and Queen of the World have established a Legacy Society.
All four institutions are so grateful for the generous hearts of the members of our school and parish communities. The Legacy Society allows us to thank donors while they are still living for the estate gifts they are leaving to us in death. It also encourages current donors to consider final gifts to their respective parishes and our school system.
Please contact the Advancement Office if you would like to discuss a Legacy Gift.
ECCSS Annual Giving Report June 30, 2021 – July 1, 2022 – Click here.
Database Updates
With 12,000+ names in our database, it’s sometimes difficult to keep track of everyone. Please let us know when you have a name or address change. Please also inform us of deceased alumni and friends who are not of the immediate area and whose obituaries may not be published locally.
ECCSS Advancement Office 600 Maurus Street St. Marys, PA 15857 814-834-1480
, Director of Advancement