Supporting the Mission

The fundraising initiative with the most immediate impact is The Fund for Saint Joseph, which provides the unrestricted funds necessary for our school’s annual operating budget. The Fund for Saint Joseph makes up the difference between tuition and the cost to deliver an exceptional Catholic education. Your gift to the annual fund ensures:

• Every student has access to a Saint Joe education, regardless of socioeconomic status
• Tuition remains competitive and affordable 
• Investment in first-class technology, resources, and upgrades
• Preservation of our rigorous curriculum and hands-on experiences
• Maintenance of our beautiful, environmentally-friendly facilities
• Faith formation and social emotional support for all students
• Resources, equipment, and uniforms for student-athletes

Gifts to the endowment ensure the long term viability of Saint Joe, because such gifts continue in perpetuity. The school utilizes interest income to support the operating budget while the principal of the gift remains invested. While most endowed funds are restricted to need-based scholarships, Saint Joe also maintains an endowment for unrestricted funds. Growth of the unrestricted endowment remains a priority, to position Saint Joe with the stability necessary to offer an exceptional education and the agility to pursue new opportunities for students. 

Capital gifts ensure the future of the Saint Joseph High School by providing brick-and-mortar projects necessary for the student experience. When the facilities and resources available to students match the quality of education, we all win. Individuals who wish to support capital projects or underwrite a classroom may contact the Office of Mission Advancement.

Legacy gifts are an effective and lasting way to provide Saint Joseph High School with the resources necessary to pursue our mission to transform students in heart and mind. Planned gifts benefit both the donor and the school, by empowering an individual to carry out his or her long-term philanthropic goals while providing the means necessary to help Saint Joe to build its endowment.

Most planned gifts provide substantial tax advantages to the donor, as well as a lasting legacy to Saint Joseph High School. Since bequests are deductible from a taxable estate, heirs may benefit from tax savings when the estate is settled. Naming Saint Joseph High School as a beneficiary of a retirement plan also avoids income tax when Saint Joe receives its distribution from the plan. 

You can make a bequest to Saint Joseph High School for a percentage of your estate or for a specific dollar amount. Gifts may be designed for general use (unrestricted/area of greatest need) or for a specific purpose (restricted). Please contact the Office of Mission Advancement to discuss your priorities, learn more, or to receive suggested language for bequests of various types. 

Please let us know if you have included Saint Joe in your will or estate plans, so we may welcome you into our lifetime giving society. We recognize all members of this society annually, though donors may remain anonymous if preferred. 

Over 50% of Saint Joseph High School students receive need-based tuition assistance.  Scholarships are the vehicle that enables students from all socioeconomic backgrounds to experience a Saint Joe education. As part of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, we participate in the Scholarship Granting Organization of Northeast Indiana (SGO NEI), which offers special tax incentives for Indiana-based donors. Donors may also provide scholarship dollars directly to Saint Joe by designating their gifts for the General Scholarship fund, or by contributing to endowed scholarships. 

The Ignite gala fundraiser is an annual opportunity to build community and raise funds for Saint Joseph High School. The event brings together parents, alumni, and area businesses for a fun-filled celebration of Saint Joe. Proceeds from the gala support the annual fund and scholarships.

The 2025 gala takes place on Saturday, March 29 at The Four Winds Casino RibbonTown Ballroom in South Bend. Tickets, sponsorships, and more information will be available soon.

Save the date!