St. Mary’s School Foundation
About the Foundation
This is an Endowment/Trust Board formed with eleven (11) appointed members from the parish and school community. The terms of office are for three (3) years. The ex-officio members of the board are the Pastor, the principal and the Bishop of the Diocese of Steubenville.
The foundation’s goal is simple – perpetual funds for perpetual needs.
The St. Mary’s School (SMS) Foundation was established in 1992 by the Diocese of Steubenville to ensure the future financial stability of St. Mary’s Catholic School.
The school is an educational institution founded upon the teachings of Jesus Christ. This founding principle has been in place since September 6, 1896, when Bishop Watterson blessed and dedicated the first St. Mary’s School building on lower Fourth Street in Marietta.
Since 1896, the St. Mary’s School family has outgrown six locations and directed the education of more than 5,000 students. Our school family, representing a strong heritage of Catholic values with excellence in academic, athletic and extracurricular activities, is open to all young people so they may become lifelong members of our church and productive participants in society. Today, St. Mary’s School offers a preschool through eighth-grade curriculum.
The challenge today is to maintain the viability of this educational institution through the long-term financial development and planning of the SMS Foundation.
Mission Statement
The SMS Foundation is a nonprofit charitable organization established to perpetuate, support and encourage the educational goals of St. Mary’s School. The foundation is dedicated to meeting Catholic education challenges of today and tomorrow by protecting the financial stability of St. Mary’s School for generations to come.
Funding Education
In accordance with the Foundation’s bylaws and board policy, once the fund’s principal goal is achieved, future interest earned on the endowment’s assets will be spent to assist in meeting the educational needs of St. Mary’s School.
Organization
A Board of Trustees, under a charter approved by the Diocese, governs the SMS Foundation. The board is responsible for financial development, fund asset management and determining the distribution of income from the perpetual fund.
How to Give
As with all financial considerations, we encourage you to discuss potential tax advantages and other aspects of charitable giving with your attorney, tax advisor, or financial consultant. All gifts to the SMS Foundation are tax deductible as stated in the IRS Code.
Platinum Level $5000 and up
Gold Level $2500 – $4999
Silver Level $1000 – $2499
Bronze Level $500 – $999
Honor Level $250 – $499
Merit Level $25 – $249
Click the “Donate button” to get started. Once redirected to Paypal, please click, “Add special instructions to the seller” to indicate where the donation should go. Please note, if your donation is for the roof fundraising project, please indicate “roof fundraiser” in “Add special instructions to seller.”
Other Ways to Give
Cash: A traditional method of giving. You may write a check to the SMS Foundation anytime.
Stocks, Bonds, and Mutual Funds: Investments are excellent ways to give, especially if their value has appreciated beyond the original cost. These gifts are excellent ways to avoid capital gains taxes.
Property: Real estate, personal possessions, securities and cash can be donated to the SMS Foundation.
Insurance: This financial planning tool can yield large gifts over time at minimal present cost.
Matching Funds: If your employer has a matching funds program, your donation can be increased, even doubled, over and above your original amount.
Scholarships: To assure your impact on faith development you may establish a scholarship fund through the SMS Foundation.
Memorial Gifts: Remember a loved one by contributing to the SMS Foundation in their memory. Make your donation to recognize a special occasion or to serve as a tribute to education. Your contribution will be a living, lasting memorial because the SMS Foundation is a lasting trust and tribute to those you love through the heritage of education.
Wills and Trusts: Remember the SMS Foundation when determining the distribution of your estate. The following is suggested terminology for a gift/bequest to SMS Foundation: “I hereby give/bequeath to SMS Foundation, Marietta, Ohio (State gift or Bequest) to be used in accordance with the Foundation’s policies.”
Investing in Our Children
Our school engages in an ongoing process of evaluation, certification, and accreditation of both teachers and programs. Their accountability guarantees the maintenance of our traditionally high standards.
Saint Mary’s School is committed to the development of the whole student. Extra-curricular activities are regarded as an important part of the total learning experience. A variety of choices are offered to reflect the uniqueness of each student, to generate a healthy sense of competition, to create a spirit of cooperation, and to foster leadership and creativity.
Supporting the Saint Mary’s School Foundation will help us continue to provide quality Catholic education for our children for years to come.
I encourage your support of our St. Mary’s School Foundation to ensure the existence of our school for many generations to come.
Monsignor John Michael Campbell
Pastor, St. Mary’s Parish
By Laws of St. Mary’s School Foundation
ARTICLE I: NAME: The name of this Foundation shall be: ST. MARY’S SCHOOL FOUNDATION (also referred to as SMS Foundation)
ARTICLE II: PURPOSE: The purpose of the Foundation shall be solely to perpetuate and support St. Mary’s School Foundation assets in excess of the minimum goal as established by the board may be used for this purpose as set forth herein. The Board, by a vote in accordance with Article VI herein, shall set said asset goal, provided that said minimum goal shall never be less than One Million dollars. Once the asset goal as established by the Board has been reached, the Board may then make quarterly disbursements from said assets to the school in an amount determined by the Board at that time, provided that in no event will the distribution cause the Foundation fund assets to drop below the minimum fund goal as determined in accordance with these By-Laws. All assets held by the Board shall be invested and perpetuated, subject to the conditions herein.
ARTICLE III: DEPOSITING OF PRINCIPAL ASSETS: The assets of this Foundation shall be deposited in such investments and accounts and safe deposit boxes as shall be determined by the Board, with the full and complete knowledge of the Bishop of Steubenville. The Foundation may hold the foundation assets indefinitely.
ARTICLE IV: GOVERNANCE: BOARD: The Bishop of the Diocese of Steubenville, the pastor, the principal of St. Mary’s School, the President of the School Board of St. Mary’s School, the President of the Parish Council, and the Chairman of Finance Committee or their designees are ex-officio non-voting members of the Board. The members of the Board shall be selected and appointed by the Parish Pastor, after consultation with the Board, from the members in good standing of the Parish of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. The total number of board members shall be eleven (11). The members’ terms of office shall be three (3) years, with not more than one-third (1/3) of these terms ending in a given year. A Board member’s term of office shall be renewable. The election of Board Members shall be held at the May meeting with the term of the new members and officers to begin September 1 and end August 31. The fiscal year, however, shall coincide with the Calendar Year.
The names and addresses of the members of the Board of this Foundation shall be sent to the Bishop by the Pastor. Each time there is a change in the membership of the Board, the Pastor will notify the Bishop, in writing, of the names and addresses of the members of the Board.
ARTICLE V: OFFICERS: The officers of the Foundation shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, all elected at the May meeting by the Board from among the membership of the Board.
The President will appoint a nominating committee whose charge it will be to present a slate of officers at the May meeting for the consideration of the Board.
ARTICLE VI: GOVERNANCE: VOTING: Except in the case of altering the use of assets or extinguishing this Foundation, a simple majority vote of a quorum of at least six (6) board members, shall be adequate to make decisions.
The presiding officer shall have the power to break tie votes.
ARTICLE VII: GOVERNANCE: MEETINGS: The Board shall meet at least once per calendar quarter to review and decide matters relating to the Foundation.
ARTICLE VIII: ALTERATION, INVASION, EXTINGUISHMENT: If the Board shall find it necessary to alter the use of the assets of the Foundation, or extinguish this Foundation, an affirmative vote of three-fourths (3/4) of the total Board is required (9 affirmative votes) accompanied by the written permission of the Bishop, before such action may take place. If the purpose of this Foundation is no longer possible in the judgment of the Board and the Bishop, this Foundation may be extinguished by the Board who shall indicate that fact in writing (60) days prior to extinguishment of the Foundation to the Pastor and Board of the above-named Parish school.
ARTICLE IX: REVERSION OF THE FUND: If this Foundation is extinguished, the remaining foundation assets will revert to the Parish of the above-named school, to be used in accordance with general Diocesan norms at the discretion of the Pastor and Parish Finance Council. If the Parish is dissolved, all the accumulated income and principal assets of the Foundation shall revert to the Diocese of Steubenville, for Catholic education, at the Bishop’s discretion.
ARTICLE X: NATURE AND NOTIFICATION OF DONORS: The Foundation’s assets shall be primarily derived from contributions by the public. Donors will be provided an acknowledgement along with a receipt for tax purposes.
ARTICLE XI: AMENDMENTS: These By-Laws may be amended upon an affirmative vote of three-fourths (3/4) of the voting members (9 affirmative votes) and upon approval by the Bishop.
ARTICLE XII: ANNUAL REPORTS: An annual written report of the assets and liabilities of the Foundation and of the receipt and disbursement of the income of the Foundation shall be issued to the Parish and school.
ARTICLE XIII: ACCOUNTABILITY: The Foundation may cause to be conducted, an annual audit by an independent Public Accountant of all its accounts. The Accountant will affirm to the Pastor, the Bishop and to the Board that this Foundation is being administered in accordance with these by-laws.
Contact the Foundation
506 4th Street
Marietta, Ohio 45750
Phone: 740-373-3643
Father Mike Campbell (pastor)
Susan Rauch (principal)