Results of Feasibility Study for Athletic Fields

Results of Feasibility Study for Athletic Fields
St. Michael Catholic High School
October, 2017

Introduction: 

The Advisory Council of St. Michael Catholic High School, in consultation with the Archbishop of Mobile and the Executive Director of Catholic Education,  conducted a feasibility study to determine interest and viability for a capital campaign to build athletic fields on the campus, including a football/soccer stadium, a field-house/weight-room, a baseball field, outside lighting, a softball field and a track. The Council hired a national fund raising firm specializing in Catholic parishes and schools, Walsh and Associates (www.walshfundraising.com), to conduct the study. Together with school administration, Walsh and Associates developed a “case statement” for the athletic fields so as to define the scope of the project and measure support for it. You can read through this case statement here. 

In October of 2017, a total of sixty-three persons, including parents of the school and members of Baldwin Catholic parishes, were personally interviewed by a representative from Walsh and Associates. Seventy others completed the study on line. 

Summary of Findings:

100% of those participating, both in interviews and online, reported they were “very satisfied” (73%) or “satisfied” (27%) with St. Michael Catholic High School. 

78% of those participating indicated they were “well informed” or “possessed general knowledge” of the school’s needs and its desire to build athletic fields.

91% indicated it was  “very important” (61%) or “important” (30%) to build the facilities as outlined in the case statement. 

To measure support for each component part,  participants were asked to indicate which parts were “important” or “very important” to the school: 

• 90% rated a field-house (including a weight-room, public restrooms, locker rooms and concessions) as very important or important
• 87% rated pay down of 15% of existing debt as very important or important
• 85% rated the  football/soccer stadiums as very important or important
• 86% rated lighting for baseball and football/soccer stadiums as very important or important
• 78% rated baseball stadium as very important or important
• 78% rated an 8 lane track as very important or important
• 69% rated softball field as very important or important

86% of those participating believed there would be “excellent” (41%) or “good” (45%) support for a fundraising campaign to build these facilities. 

In reporting its findings to the Advisory Council, Walsh and Associates characterized support for the school as "extraordinary" and support for the project as outlined in the case statement as "exceptional. "  Given those facts, and applying a set of proprietary algorithms based on its decades of work in fund-raising, it estimates the school could raise between $3,000,000 and $4,000,000 in a capital campaign, if pledge payments were extended over a three year period.  It labels this estimate "conservative." 

What Happens Next? 

By January of 2018, the Advisory Council of St. Michael will have reviewed the data from these surveys, established a set of priorities, created a financial plan and established a time line for a possible campaign. It will then seek permission from the Archdiocese to prepare for a campaign, perhaps as early as the fall of 2018.  How quickly we can build will depend entirely on the generosity of donors and God’s providence.