Since 1979, Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School (CRCP) has been providing an exceptional Catholic education to a predominantly African-American student population. Many of its students come from low- to middle-income families, so the school relies heavily on contributions to keep tuition affordable to anyone who wants a CRCP education.

Providing these scholarships requires a robust development program. When CRCP President Tamiko Armstead – a class of 1991 graduate herself – was looking to expand the school’s individual donor program, she sought The Rome Group’s assistance to grow their major gifts program and reduce their reliance on corporate and foundation grants.

Our team took over many day-to-day development tasks, such as creating and updating the development calendar, conducting donor research, preparing CRCP staff for calls with donors, and writing proposals and letters. Furthermore, we provided the structure needed for a team that was motivated but still building fundraising experience.

We partnered to ensure that our team completed its development “to do” list, which supported the school’s ability to prepare its students for a bright future. As Mrs. Armstead said herself, CRCP is “the high school that made me who I am today.”