St. Mary’s School Foundation
Ensuring financial stability for St. Mary Catholic School
The St. Mary School Foundation 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 and the principal. Revised By-Laws 4-19-26
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.
Over the last 10 years, the Foundation has given the school approximately $1.3 Million dollars for general financial support, repairs and improvements.
Examples of past Foundation funded projects are:
- Annual Cash Donation to Support General Budget
- Funds for Major Foundation Repairs
- Purchase of Adjacent House for Future Use
- Purchase and Demolition of Neighboring Building for Additional Parking
- Roof Replacements
- Smart Projectors for All Classrooms
- Upgraded LED Lighting
- Upgraded Bathroom Facilities
- Installation of Security Cameras and Monitoring Systems
- Laptops for Staff and Classrooms
- Installation of Public Address System
- Projectors and Screens in the Parish Center
- 450 Replacement Chairs and New Flooring for Parish Center
- Support for GymRenovations
- and the list goes on and on…
Officers
President: Becky Haller
Vice President: Teresa Domico
Secretary: Tonya Booth
Treasurer: Tim Williams
Chris Pfeiffer
Joe Augenstein
Evan Brockmeier
Lori Lutz
Matt Ingram
Debbie Lazorik
How to Give
Saint Mary’s Catholic School has been providing quality Catholic education in Washington County, Ohio since 1896. As we look into the future, we see many challenges. The most formidable of these challenges is the continual struggle to keep tuition affordable. The school budget is presently met through a combination of tuition, church collections, and various fundraising efforts. The SMS Foundation was established with the long-term goal of providing a significant annual contribution to the school budget. Careful planning of a gift to the SMS Foundation can help maximize the benefits to you and the SMS Foundation. Federal income, estate and gift tax law encourages individuals and their families to make gifts to charities like the SMS Foundation.
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.
Other Ways to Give
Please help keep the Catholic education alive in Washington County by giving in one of the following ways:
- 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.”
Gift Levels:
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
Donate Now:
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.”