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Our History


Our History

The Notre Dame Education Fund Foundation was established in 1980 to ensure financial stability for Notre Dame Regional High School. The purpose of the Foundation is to assist in defraying the rising cost of educating Notre Dame students. The contributions received are endowed, invested, and reinvested with earnings on investments transferred to the school annually.

Since contributions are endowed, donations continue to give, grow, and help sustain Catholic secondary education in southeast Missouri.

The first stipend was awarded in 1983, only three years after the Foundation’s inception. It totaled $7,000. The Margin for Excellence drive in 1985 successfully reached its goal of $2.5 million endowed monies to serve as a solid base of funds.

Stipends have been awarded each year since 1983. Funds which have been transferred to the school during that time total in excess of $2 million.

Today, the endowment continues to provide over $130,000 in operating expense and over $79,000 of assistance from designated funds, to the school, on an annual basis.

The Foundation currently has approximately $5.9 million of total assets ($5M endowed), under its management. The funds are invested by the local Foundation Board of Directors, consisting of ten elected members, the Bishop of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese, and the school principal. The development director is an exoficio member.

Firmly built on the foresight and sacrifice of the past, Notre Dame Education Fund Foundation stands as a sturdy financial base to sustain and promote Catholic secondary education for students in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and the surrounding region throughout southeast Missouri and southern Illinois.