Catholic Education Foundation campaign nears $100 million goal for tuition assistance
The Catholic Education Foundation announced on Mar. 12 that its capital campaign has reached $96 million in donor commitments, moving closer to its $100 million target.
The campaign, titled “The Answer is Yes! For Everyone. Forever.”, was launched publicly during the foundation’s 2025 Salute to Catholic School Alumni event. The effort aims to provide direct tuition assistance and build a permanent endowment for students in the Archdiocese of Louisville.
At this year’s event, Catholic Education Foundation President Richard A. Lechleiter said, “I’m so pleased to tell you that we now stand at an incredible $96 million in campaign commitments. Thank you.” He added, “From our small beginnings in 1999, when we awarded scholarships to 220 students, we’re now offering tuition assistance to an amazing 3,700 students with record funding of $8.6 million.”
Lechleiter explained that the contributions will support both immediate tuition needs and long-term financial stability through endowment growth. In a February interview, he said direct assistance commitments had reached $50 million, gifts to the permanent endowment exceeded $20 million, and deferred gifts from estate plans totaled $24 million. Lechleiter described the original goal as ambitious: “We tried to project our needs for the next 10 years. It kept coming back to $100 million,” he said. “The board courageously accepted that goal in 2020 — in the middle of Covid. Thanks be to God and donors, we’re going to hit that goal and it’s going to transform the foundation forever.”
During his remarks at the March 10 alumni event, Lechleiter encouraged continued support: “Every donation is important and none is too small,” he said. “Once completed, this endeavor will be the largest of its kind in the 218-year history of the Archdiocese of Louisville.”
The Archdiocese of Louisville promotes Catholic spiritual development and supports community outreach through various ministries according to its official website. It maintains archives for historical research and aligns with the Roman Catholic Church as an ecclesiastical territory according to its official website. The archdiocese also aims to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, engage in worship through sacraments, build faith communities, address human needs, encourage spiritual growth, and advance justice and compassion according to its official website. It operates under guidance from the Archbishop of Louisville with consultative groups such as the College of Consultors and Pastoral Council according to its official website, providing pastoral care across central Kentucky parishes according to its official website.
As fundraising efforts continue toward completion by fiscal year-end—a six-year campaign—Lechleiter remains optimistic about reaching this milestone.
