Guiding Catholic Institutions toward Sustainable Growth & Mission-Driven Success

Strategic Plans and Capital Campaigns: Tailored for Catholic Schools and Parishes.

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  • Investors In People

We are the Institute for School and Parish Development

ISPD is a national development consulting, coaching, and educational firm working exclusively with Catholic institutions.

We empower Catholic schools, parishes and (arch)dioceses by helping them create and establish effective processes that engage people and invite resources in order to make the mission and vision come alive.

ISPD’s mission: Bringing people, process, and ministry together to help build the Kingdom of God.

35+ Years of Service to
Catholic institutions

SUMMER 2025 DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL New Orleans 23-25 JUN 2025 Learn More & Register Inviting to Belong • Inviting to Invest

Key Service Areas

Operational Vitality Assessments

Strategic Growth Plans

Financial Feasibility Studies

Capital Campaigns

Enrollment Management

Total Stewardship

Development/Advancement Organization

Strategic Plans for Development/Advancement/ Enrollment Management

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Years In Business
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Clients Served
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Catholic Leaders Taught

Why Choose Institute for School and Parish Development?

  • Faith-Driven Advancement & Planning: Aligning your mission with financial sustainability through proven capital campaigns and strategic planning processes.

  • Customized Growth Strategies: We help Catholic schools and parishes increase engagement, strengthen donor involvement, and secure long-term funding.

  • Proven Success: Our Team has partnered with Catholic schools and parishes nationwide to raise over $750 million dollars in the past 35 years.

  • Built for Catholic School and Parish Leaders: Whether you need campaign feasibility studies, development/ stewardship assessments, or strategic plans, we provide tailored solutions that work for you.
Catholic School Strategic Planning
  • Consulting & Coaching Services

Onsite, Online, or Hybrid.

ISPD provides coaching and professional development for pastors, presidents, principals, development directors, and admissions/enrollment management directors.

  • ISPD Publications

Lessons in Advancement

Institute for School and Parish Development founder and president Frank Donaldson has written five books on Catholic development and stewardship.

School & Parishes We Work With

ISPD has worked with hundreds of schools and parishes nationwide.

School of the Incarnation | Gambrills, MD
Logo for St. Michael Catholic High School
Notre Dame Academy | Staten Island (Logo)
Mercy McAuley High School | Cincinnati
New Orleans Jesuit High School
Our Lady of the Light | Dayton, Ohio
Mount Alvernia Academy | Baltimore
Archbishop Moeller High School
Scecina Memorial High School

Belonging Leads to Believing.

If you’re ready to transform your institution and embrace a culture of continuous improvement and engagement, we want to hear from you.

10 Ways We Serve the Catholic Community

We Are Catholic.

Headquartered in New Orleans, LA, we work exclusively with Catholic schools, parishes, and (arch)dioceses throughout the country. Our associates are Catholic leaders with over 250 years of combined experience in development/ advancement/stewardship/enrollment management.

Our Mission is Dynamic.

ISPD Mission: Through consulting, coaching, and educating, we bring people, process, and ministry together to help build the Kingdom of God.

We Engage People.

In our consulting, coaching, and teaching processes, we show how to meaningfully engage people in their mission and vision.

We Have 35+ Years of Nationwide Experience.

We are proud of our proven track record of successful partnerships with hundreds of Catholic schools, parishes, and (arch) dioceses.

We Are Objective.

We guide our Catholic clients through their challenges and help create solutions in order to support and integrate their vision, mission, and core values.

We Consult Onsite, Online, or Hybrid.

Our Assessment, Strategic Planning, Enrollment Management, Feasibility Study, Capital Campaign, Annual Fund, and Total Stewardship processes are fine-tuned for success.

We Offer Professional Development Opportunities.

From our annual Summer Development School (3-day conference) to our educational workshops, presentations, and publications, ISPD excels in our PD offerings.

We Teach Online.

In partnership with the University of Dayton’s Institute for Pastoral Initiatives, each semester ISPD teaches online/for-credit courses in Catholic school and parish development.

We Are Affordable.

Our consulting processes, online courses, and our Summer Development School are all reasonably priced.

We Encourage to Move 'Beyond Mediocrity'

ISPD encourages, motivates, and guides our Catholic clients to move “beyond mediocrity.”

Recent ISPD Blogs

  • A Pause for Prayer, A Cause for Mourning

    January 3, 2025

    10 min read

    Here in the Greater New Orleans Area, where our company is located, all of us at ISPD extend our sympathies and condolences to those who were killed and/or injured in the early New Year’s Day tragedy on Bourbon Street. We are heartbroken and grieve for those families having to endure the reality of this senseless act. New Orleans is a city built on resilience. Through the years, we have faced adversity and risen stronger. As a friend of mine said this morning, “We stand together, not just in mourning, but in our resolve to heal and grow from adversity.” Mardi Gras will go on; the Super Bowl will be held, the spring festivals will take place, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival will be staged; and our company’s annual three-day conference (ISPD Summer 2025 Development School) in June will welcome Catholic leaders from throughout the country. We will rise and come back better than ever. As we said in our December Christmas story: “It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.” Candles of remembrance, respect, reverence, and hope are lit in the City of New Orleans.

  • Case Study: Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Enrollment Management Plan (Part II)

    December 13, 2024

    6 min read

  • Case Study: Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Enrollment Management Plan (Part I)

    November 23, 2024

    4 min read

  • Capital Campaigns: Why do Some Succeed and Some Fail?

    October 21, 2024

    6 min read

  • How will 2024-25 Be Different in Your Catholic School and/or Parish?

    August 15, 2024

    6 min read

  • Back to School Night and Vision Articulation

    July 17, 2024

    7 min read

Frank Donaldson

ISPD Founder & President

Let’s have a conversation about your school or parish.

Let’s Make Things Happen

ISPD is ready to help transform the advancement culture of your parish or school.

Let us help your school or parish.
Schedule a 30-minute consultation.
Name(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

By submitting my data I agree to be contacted