Testimonials
"St. Agnes Academy has worked with Larry Furey since 1999 in all areas of our advancement program but especially with our Annual Fund and most recently our Major Giving Campaign. From the initial visit in August 2003, when Larry first segmented our database and taught us the science behind running an annual fund, our annual fund has grown from $400,000 to over a million dollars.
Throughout the years, Larry’s hands on approach has taught members of our team to learn the procedures necessary to run an effective advancement program. This past year he has guided us through transitioning from a capital campaign to a major gifts campaign in a difficult economic environment. He is always available either by phone or email and he always creates detailed follow up reports that guide us until his next visit. His professional advice has guided me personally through my tenure at SAA and I look forward to continue working with Larry and Partners in Mission in the months and years ahead."
Elaine Henderson Eichelberger
Director of Advancement
Saint Agnes Academy
Houston, Texas
"Larry Furey has changed our world at Bishop Shanahan High School.
In the summer of 2003, our President Sr. Regina Plunkett attended an
Advancement Workshop in Boston and recognized the experience Larry
could bring to our Advancement program. I was a “new, very green
Development Director” who didn’t know how to make money and thought
cutting expenses would make a difference. Needless to say, I was
wrong. Larry came on board as our consultant and within a few months
our ideas about “Advancing our Mission through Philanthropy” radically
changed.
The science of Advancement is something that Larry
can talk about morning, noon and night. His passion for Catholic
Education ignites a fire in all he meets. Changing our thought process
was a journey that Larry guided us through from programming to asking
to thanking! Our Shanahan Fund has quadrupled in size and our capital
campaign was a huge success thanks to his leadership. Words cannot
express how grateful we are here at Shanahan for his expertise,
guidance and friendship. He is a gift which will continue to grace
Bishop Shanahan for generations to come!"
Maureen MorinDirector of AdvancementBishop Shanahan High SchoolDownington, Pennsylvania
"Larry
Furey has been a true asset to me at Catholic Memorial School (7-12)
during my four years there, and at Northwest Catholic High School these
past 2.5 years. Larry brings a level of professionalism and
institutional knowledge to the Catholic school advancement program
(i.e. fundraising, fun-raising, stewardship, and enrollment/recruitment
strategies) that is irreplaceable in the marketplace. Larry and the
Partners In Mission team adds value to our entire mission-driven
advancement efforts, and I recommend Larry and his team to others who
are looking for sterling professionalism at an affordable cost."
Matthew FitzsimonsPresidentNorthwest Catholic High SchoolWest Hartford, Connecticut
"I
have had the privilege of working with Larry for over five years. Five
years ago, Cathedral Prep was facing the challenges that many Catholic
schools face - declining enrollment and stagnant fundraising. It was
clear that we had to do something different or face even more serious
challenges. Our Advancement team began working with Larry and after
implementing his recommendations and strategies, positive things began
to happen almost immediately. For example, segmenting our database and
employing new approaches in our fundraising techniques have resulted in
our Annual Fund increasing over fourfold in just five years - far
exceeding even our wildest dreams.
The best part of all this
is that Larry and his Partners in Mission helped us remain ever more
true to our mission while garnering results that are repeatable and
sustainable. Now we face our challenges confidently and are poised to
be strong well into the future. We recently completed a successful
capital campaign and are embarking on another. We would not have had
the ability or confidence to do this without Larry's help. Larry and
his Partners in Mission understand Catholic schools, our common
mission, and the many challenges we all face. He also knows the
science behind fundraising and how to implement those fundraising
principles successfully in a Catholic school environment. Larry and
his team have walked with us every step of the way and we have seen
firsthand the very positive results that their mission-based strategies
have produced."
Fr. Scott W. Jabo
Headmaster
Cathedral Preparatory School
Erie, Pennsylvania
"Bishop
Timon – St. Jude High School has provided a quality Catholic education
steeped in Franciscan values to young men from the city of Buffalo and
surrounding Southtowns for over sixty years. In a community that has
changed dramatically over the years, Timon has been committed to
adapting to change.
The most recent adaptation was the
reorientation of our approach to fund development, enrollment and
messaging our Mission. We have worked closely with Larry Furey and
Chris Hagerty for nearly three years to facilitate this evolution in
our implementation of our Mission.
Partners In Mission
demonstrates personal and professional commitment to Catholic
education. Larry Furey and his associates draw upon years of training
and experience to provide partner schools with the skills and practices
to fulfill their unique mission.
I am honored to share the
ministry of Catholic education with Partners In Mission and look
forward to our collaboration in the future."
Kevin P. McLaughlin Director, Office of AdvancementBishop Timon – St. Jude High SchoolBuffalo, New York
“I
have known Larry Furey and members of the Partners in Mission team
professionally for over ten years. I have always admired their
commitment to the mission of Catholic education, energy, organization
and ideas. Their practical, systematic approach to
advancement-coupled with their willingness to roll up their sleeves is
refreshing and appreciated. Their theories are superb and their
willingness to join you in “getting things done” is even better. Most
of us in Catholic elementary and secondary education do not have the
luxury of large development staffs. If this is your situation I highly
recommend Larry Furey and his Partners in Mission team."
Michael Welch
Headmaster
St. John’s High School
Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
"Our
initial contact with Partners in Mission was about eight years ago when
our school president, one of my assistants, and I attended the
Conference of a Lifetime in Boston. We benefited very much from the
program and were very impressed with its professionalism, but even more
so were we impressed with the great service that this organization was
providing to Catholic education in the United States. It had something
to offer to institutions that were beginners in the field of
advancement as well as to others that already had highly developed
programs.
A year or so later, when we decided to undertake a
capital campaign to finance an ambitious building project, Partners in
Mission was one of the organizations that we considered. We eventually
selected them for a very specific reason. We were not interested in
engaging a firm that would come in and do all of the work for us; we
had already had an experience like that in a previous campaign, and
then found ourselves somewhat unprepared to take over when their
in-house period was completed. Partners in Mission promised to train
our own staff to do the work of the campaign, so that as their
involvement eventually lessened, we were easily able to continue the
process ourselves. With their advice, encouragement, and prompting, we
were able to develop an approach to our clientele that has enabled us
to conduct a very successful capital campaign.
At the same
time Partners in Mission has helped us to bring the work of our own
advancement office to a new level. In the process, we have begun a new
program of planned giving that we are confident will reap future
benefits for Chaminade High School."
Bro. Richard Hartz, S.M.Director of Development and Alumni RelationsChaminade High SchoolMineola, New York
"Three
years ago, Bishop Feehan decided to conduct a capital campaign. Because
of my familiarity with Larry Furey and his staff. I was leaning toward
selecting Partners in Mission However, I thought that I should do
some comparative shopping before I made the final decision.
After
two months of interviews with major firms from Boston and New York, I
discovered what I already knew. Partners in Mission offered was the
best fit for Feehan. They offered personalized service, greater
accessibility and a strong commitment to working with Catholic schools.
As we near the 2/3 rd’s mark of our $4.5 million dollar
campaign, I can say with certainty, that hiring Larry and Partners in
Mission was one of the best decisions that we made."
Christopher E. ServantPresident Bishop Feehan High School Attleboro, Massachusetts
"Like
many other Catholic schools, we believed that hard work would bring us
the results we wanted and needed in our Advancement Office. After
attending a conference with Larry and his talented group of dedicated
professionals, we realized that “if always do what you’ve always done;
you will always get what you’ve always gotten.” Partners in Mission’s
commitment to Catholic education showed us that we could succeed in
every aspect of Advancement. From the segmentation of the Annual Fund
to the revamping of our publications, Partners in Mission has been with
us every step of the way.
Being a young school, compared to
other Diocesan high schools, we needed a way to attract our alumni and
help educate them on the importance of charitable giving. This has
been a true partnership, with Partners in Mission listening to us about
our demographics and constituency and working with us to further our
program. The baby-steps have paid off and we are thrilled with the
results. We are still working hard, but now we are working smart---and
that has made the difference. The Administration at Paul VI Catholic
High School is looking forward to many more conferences in the future
and our continued relationship with Partners in Mission."
Virginia D. ColwellPrincipalPaul VI Catholic High SchoolFairfax, Virginia
“When
I first met Larry Furey, I was a newly hired advancement director at
Mount St. Mary Catholic High School in Oklahoma City, OK. I had a
background in coaching and teaching, but I did not understand how to
put together a solid game plan to advance the mission of our school.
Through Larry’s mentorship and guidance, our advancement team became
equipped with a strategic game plan that was simple to execute. Larry
and his associates helped walk us through a simple plan that helped us
build relationships, communicate our message to target audiences, work
with volunteers, and properly steward gifts. Following Larry’s
strategic game plan, we were able to build partnerships that led to
major gifts and re-establish our school’s annual fund. Last year was a
ground breaking year in our advancement program and by continuing our
partnership with Larry and his associates at Partners in Mission we
expect to raise the bar as we continue to advance the mission of Mount
St. Mary Catholic High School.”
Chris StilesDirector of AdvancementMount St. Mary Catholic High SchoolOklahoma City, Oklahoma
“As
I reported to our Board of Directors last quarter, Partners in Mission
is the reason for the success of our advancement program. Partners in
Mission has advised us not just on fundraising efforts, but also on
personnel changes, management issues and the cultivation of alumni and
friends. Their expertise in, and dedication to, Catholic education
gives them a unique vantage point from which to counsel their clients.
Their
advice makes our program work. Partners in Mission truly believes in
the mission of our school and strategizes with us methods to advance
that mission. We couldn’t be more pleased with our partnership with
this fine firm.”
Elizabeth A. SantilloPresidentOur Lady of the Sacred Heart High SchoolCoraopolis, Pennsylvania
“When
it became apparent that Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School was facing
some real challenges for both enrollment and financial resources and I
began calling my colleagues at other Catholic schools to inquire about
who they would call on for help with these tough issues, the name that
surfaced most often was Larry Furey and his Partners in Mission team.
The most important call I made was to Larry who responded immediately
and brought the full force of the Partners in Mission to Bishop
Timon-St. Jude.
Quickly, through an assessment of our
Advancement program, we discovered that while we were doing a lot of
the right things, we were far from doing them well. Partners in Mission
helped us focus on the areas where we could make the most significant
and sustainable gains in the short and long term-primarily through
segmenting the Annual Fund and developing a smart, research driven
approach to Major Gifts for our school. While we have a long way to go,
thanks to Partners in Mission, the focus and success we are
experiencing has given our school community renewed confidence for the
future.”
Thomas SullivanPrincipal & CEOBishop Timon-St. Jude High SchoolBuffalo, New York
“Assuming
the role of president from an education background, I knew I needed
guidance from an Advancement professional, and a friend suggested Larry
Furey. For the past six years, Little Flower Catholic High School for
Girls has enjoyed his expert counsel. As a result, our Annual Fund has
tripled and our enrollment has increased.
Larry is an
enthusiastic promoter of Catholic education and the work of the
Church. The members of his Partners in Mission team share his zeal,
energy, and knowledge and can offer schools and parishes innumerable
suggestions to advance their mission.”
Sister Donna Shallo, IHMPresidentLittle Flower Catholic High School for GirlsPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
“Whether
your organization is just beginning an Advancement program or if your
operation is highly developed, Partners in Mission can take you to the
next level. Their blend of experience, expertise and commitment to
Catholic education, combined with the quality and integrity of their
staff, make Partners in Mission a valuable ally for schools of all
sizes.
Proven strategies + excellent staff = wonderful results.
There is no doubt that working with Partners in Mission is an
investment that will pay remarkable dividends for your school.”
Zane G. GizziDirector of AdvancementLancaster Catholic High SchoolLancaster, Pennsylvania
