With all 71 parishes in our diocese taking part in the campaign, we are using a phased approach, organizing parishes into three waves of fundraising activity.

“The beauty of the wave approach is that it lets us give each parish the focus, resources, and guidance it deserves, one step at a time, to ensure each parish’s success,” said Andy Ryba, vice president and director of professional development with the Steier Group, the campaign’s counsel.

At the heart of the campaign are four key priorities:

• On-Mission: Attract, form, train, and retain excellent and faithful teachers and administrators.
• Affordable: Substantially expand financial assistance for current and prospective school families.
• Accessible: Enhance support for children with special needs and make improvements at the diocese’s four regional high schools.
• Local Initiatives: Invest in parish school programs, religious education, faith formation, homeschool initiatives and other pressing local needs.

The Local Initiatives component is a particularly meaningful expression of the campaign’s mission, as it directly benefits individual parishes.

Each parish is encouraged to meet an aspirational fundraising goal, known as its parish target, with 20 percent of all funds collected by the parish returned for local projects. Once a parish reaches its target, 100 percent of any additional funds raised stay within the parish, allowing for even greater investment in local priorities.

Parishes will develop their plans for their Local Initiatives funding prior to or during the preparation phase of their wave. Each wave is approximately five months, and the prep phase is the first two months. During this time, pastors, parish staff and parish champions — as we’re calling the Steier Group’s campaign managers — work together to identify the Local Initiatives programs and projects, recruit volunteers and appoint parish chairs.

These local projects reflect the campaign’s dual focus: achieving diocesan-wide goals while meeting the unique needs of individual communities. Many parishes are channeling their Local Initiative funds into strengthening Catholic schools, addressing urgent facility improvements, or enhancing religious education, faith formation, or homeschool initiatives.

Parish leadership helps decide on these projects, making sure that they reflect the community’s needs and wants while also aligning with the larger mission of revitalizing Catholic education throughout the Diocese of Lansing. This collaborative approach underscores the campaign’s commitment to fostering vibrant, mission-driven schools that are accessible to all who seek them. As each wave transitions into its active phase — the final three months — the work of volunteers becomes essential. Volunteers set appointments, make calls to selected donors, and conduct one-on-one visits with parishioners to personally invite and discuss their participation in the campaign. These efforts are followed by a commitment weekend, in-pew appeals, and mailings to parishioners who have not yet pledged.

This hands-on approach, facilitated by the Steier Group’s Team Lansing — Ryba, Jamie Kinnaird, Tom Maliszewski, Ben Gile, and Felix Carbullido — emphasizes the importance of personal connections. “The wave process is about more than raising funds,” Ryba explained. “It’s also about building community within each parish, fostering relationships and sharing inspiring stories of faith and generosity.”

Sixteen parishes are part of Wave 1, with two more running combined campaigns. Wave 2, which begins this month, will include 21 parishes and another combined campaign. Wave 3 will include 27 parishes. Some parishes are still  iscerning combined campaigns. The wave process balances careful planning with flexibility. Factors such as geography, parish size, the presence of schools, and pastor requests all played a role in determining wave assignments.

For pastors like Father Tim MacDonald of Queen of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Church, the campaign has been both a challenge and a source of inspiration. Queens is directing its Local Initiatives funding to support Jackson Catholic Schools, a unique regional partnership that oversees academic, financial, and administrative aspects of Catholic education in Jackson County.

“The campaign is an opportunity for us to join together to build up Catholic education in the Diocese of Lansing and to strengthen our parish and school — now and for many years to come,” Father MacDonald said. He noted that the enthusiasm of parishioners has exceeded expectations, despite the current economic climate.

Father MacDonald also emphasized the importance of collaboration. In the previous diocesan campaign, he took on much of the work himself. The Stewardship for Saints and Scholars campaign, on the other hand, employs a committee-driven approach. “This time, we’re all spokes in the wheel,” he said.

This collective effort has lightened the workload while also creating opportunities for parishioners to share their talents and deepen their commitment to the faith.

When asked to offer advice for parishes in future waves, Father MacDonald referenced Luke 5:4: “Do not be afraid; put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

While the financial goals may seem daunting, he emphasized the importance of seeing the campaign as both inspirational and aspirational. “The bigger the need, the bolder the request. We won’t succeed in the shallow end. We must cast out into the deep.”