St. Paul of the Cross Parish Educational Endowment Fund

The St. Paul of the Cross Parish Educational Endowment Fund (PEEF) Board began its work in 2000 by championing a fundraising campaign to support the affordability and accessibility of Catholic education for future generations of SPC students. 

High-quality, well-respected teachers and a strong curriculum are the hallmarks of Catholic education. Maintaining a facility large enough to accommodate the needs of over 700 SPC students and approximately 1,000 Catechesis students is essential. The only way to protect and preserve our Catholic education in the 21st Century is to ensure that each Parish School is financially sound through a growing Parish Endowment Fund.

Mission

  • Keep tuition affordable for all families
  • Provide tuition assistance to families in need
  • Maintain and improve educational and religious curriculum for the school children and youth of Parish and School
  • Fund a select number of continuing educational grants each year to support our teachers’ professional advancement 
  • Provide merit-based scholarships based upon their Catholic values for several students each year
  • Provide a more just salary for the SPC teachers

Trivia Night

Trivia Night is an annual Endowment event in November. It’s always a night of fun and it brings awareness to what our Parish Educational Endowment Fund is all about. See highlights and more on the Trivia Night webpage.

Your Endowment at Work

Through the dedication and generosity of our many benefactors, the Endowment Fund has grown to over $2.7 million. The Endowment provides a yearly grant of up to 5% of its overall value to the school’s operating budget, allowing St. Paul of the Cross School to keep tuition increases to a minimum. 

2023-24 Contributions

Subsidized School Operating Budget

  • $90,000

Invested in our Dedicated Faculty

  • Afforded 12 faculty members with extraordinary development opportunities
  • Assisted one faculty member pursuing their Master’s degree

Scholarships

  • Provided $12,000 in need and merit scholarships 

Merit-based Endowment Awards

Maureen McCambridge Scholarship

“Celebrate the Greatness of a Catholic Education”
This scholarship was established to honor the memory of a wonderful parent, teacher, friend, and parishioner at St. Paul of the Cross. Fr. Carl and the Endowment Committee created this annual scholarship to pay tribute to the values by which she lived.

Eligibility: All current 7th-grade students at St. Paul of the Cross can apply.
Award: One $1,000 scholarship will be awarded for their 8th grade school year.
Application Requirements: Applicants will submit a written application, and selected semi-finalists will be interviewed.
Financial need and academic performance are not a part of the established criteria for this scholarship.
Applicants will be evaluated based on Christian ideals, work ethic, creativity, compassion for others, community service, strong self-identity, and leadership skills.

Pastoral Leadership Awards

The Endowment Committee established these awards as the result of a generous donation to honor the work of our current and former Pastors, Fr. Britto Berchmans and Fr. Carl Morello.

Eligibility: All current 5th and 6th grade students at St. Paul of the Cross can apply.
Award: Three $750 scholarships will be awarded.
Application Requirements: Applicants will submit a written application. Applicants will be evaluated based on demonstrated leadership and service to others. Financial need will be a consideration for at least one of the scholarships.

McHugh Downes New Family Welcome Award
  • An anonymous donor established this award to honor the memory of a beloved aunt who valued Catholic education and the strong sense of community it provided to school families.

    Eligibility: All families with current K-7th grade students new to St. Paul of the Cross for the current school year and returning for a second year can apply. (Previous attendance at SPC preschool does not prohibit you from applying.)
    Award: One $500 scholarship will be awarded.
    Application Requirements: Applicants will submit and be evaluated based on a written application.

Need-based Endowment Awards

The Endowment funds five awards. These awards are administered directly by the school annually. They are available to all current students. 

Letters detailing the scholarship information and application process are sent home to all school families each year in March.