Patrons are individuals or groups of individuals who offer their financial support, expertise and personal connections to one of the 30 Patrons Program elementary parochial schools in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island that belong to the Patrons Program. Patrons typically contribute $150,000 per year for three consecutive years, at minimum. Support can come from one person or a group of individuals. The funding is generally used for curriculum enhancements (e.g., art, music, and after-school programs), scholarships and capital improvements.
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The Patron experience is completely “hands on.” You can work closely with a school’s leaders and the Advisory Board which consists of a diverse group of outside professionals dedicated to improving the school.
This group harnesses its energy and expertise:
- To help the school leadership implement its strategic goals and vision
- To improve financial, academic and physical conditions
 You will be able to see the impact of your funding by spending time at the school and with its students. You might read to the students, take 8th graders on a field trip to the New York Stock Exchange, speak at a school Career Day or organize a book/toy drive. You will be invited to attend the school’s Christmas and spring concerts and to judge spelling bees or science competitions. If your time is limited, the Principal and/or the Patrons Program team will provide regular e-mail updates.
The Patrons Program hopes that its donors use the pronoun “my” when describing their schools. We find that Patrons quickly “fall in love” with their schools which become a part of their extended family. Often members of a Patron’s family also become involved in the school.
Patrons also give of themselves and leverage the expertise of their friends and colleagues by donating in-kind services such as:
- Assisting with school finances by preparing budget and financial reports
- Analyzing tuition rates
- Preparing a demographic analysis
- Using services at their firms (donating used computers, etc)
- Hosting a “career” day at their office
- Organizing a book or toy drive
- Helping organize a special event to raise money for their school
- Introducing to people who can help the schools in a variety of ways
- Educational specialists and programs
- Construction, engineering, real estate and architectural professionals
- Marketing and communication specialists
- Technology professionals
- Fundraising and special events professionals
- Lawyers
Patrons Program school Principals are usually former teachers. They do not have formal training in financial management, fundraising and plant management. They welcome support in the above areas because they know it will greatly help their school and reduce their enormous day-to-day work load.
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| Examples of Patron- and Donor-Led Special Projects |
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 Patrons Program donors introduced our organization to the Metropolitan Golf Association’s First Tee Golf program. First Tee provides children with a free opportunity to develop life-enhancing values such as confidence, perseverance, and judgment through golf and character education.
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A Patron learned that his school had a problem regulating the heat in the building that had two wings and shared a boiler. One section of the building was freezing and the other part was extremely hot. The gym floor was also buckling for no reason and the school was paying a fortune on oil.
The Patron introduced the school to a boiler specialist whose team thoroughly assessed the entire building, drew up a plan and budget, and fixed the problem once and for all. Now the school is evenly heated, the gym floor doesn’t have to be repaired each year, and the oil bills have decreased.
The Patron’s timing was ideal because the school was about to hire its existing boiler company to address the problems. Unfortunately the proposed work wouldn’t have fixed the school’s problems.
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A Patron introduced his school to the CEO of a hospital in the community. This relationship was extremely important because the hospital serves many of the families in the neighborhood. The CEO then connected the Principal with the hospital’s community outreach program. As a result, the school ran two hospital-sponsored vision and hearing screenings at the school.
The events were advertised in local newspapers and in flyers in apartment buildings. They brought many people who didn’t know that the school existed into the building.
The Principal and students greeted the guests and provided school marketing materials for those who attended. As a number of our schools struggle with enrollment, raising school visibility is crucial.
| The Impact of Patrons Program Funding |
 The Patrons Program makes the greatest impact when:
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Patrons are engaged with their schools and Advisory Boards and creatively use their experience and expertise on the school’s behalf
- School Principals and Pastors have clearly articulated goals and welcome support and input from the broader community
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Advisory Boards are composed of diverse individuals who draw on their backgrounds and are committed to helping their schools in a variety of ways
With the use of Patron funding, grants and money raised by Advisory Boards, the schools have implemented the following programs and initiatives:
- Extended academic day
- Reading remediation
- Teacher professional development in reading, math and art/music
- Math enrichment and remediation
- Technology upgrades and integration
- Fine arts program
- Choral and instrumental music programs
- Drama and opera programs
- Physical education program
- Robust after school programs
Because of outside funding, Patrons Program schools have created new facilities and/or improved of current facilities:
- Playgrounds
- Libraries
- Science labs
- Computer labs
- New bathrooms, windows, roofs, boilers, improved lighting and safety
Support from outside donors and foundations pays for:
- Librarians
- Development directors
- Specialists in English as a Second Language
- Reading specialists
- Math specialists
- Computer teachers
- Art teachers
- Music teachers
- Physical Education teachers
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