St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church

THE CHALLENGE

St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church in Roswell, Georgia, has shown strong growth since its founding two decades ago. The parish, which built a beautiful church and campus, has grown to more than 3,000 households and offers more than 60 active ministries. Despite diligently paying down its construction debt, the parish still owed more than $8 million and was struggling to cover its monthly mortgage payments. That heavy debt was crippling the parish’s ability to enjoy continued growth. The parish needed to eliminate its debt, so it could consider necessary improvements to its facilities and ministries. St. Peter Chanel desired to move forward, unhindered by debt so it could more fully serve its members and the community.

THE VISION

The parish’s goals for the 2013 and 2016 campaigns:

• Reduce and eliminate the parish’s debt

THE SOLUTION

The parish hired the Steier Group for a 2013 campaign to reduce the debt, a successful effort that retired more than half of it. The parish hired the firm for a second campaign in 2016 aimed at eliminating the debt. That campaign raised $4 million, enabling the parish to completely erase its debt. An effective pledge collection strategy is essential to a successful capital campaign, and it made a major difference with St. Peter Chanel’s efforts. The Steier Group recommended the parish form a campaign Follow-up Committee consisting primarily of the pastor and the stronger volunteers who exhibited excellence during the campaign. This committee, which received ongoing support and counsel from the Steier Group, met monthly and focused on following up with major gift prospects and new parishioners. The Steier Group talked regularly with the committee to strategize regarding donors behind in their pledge payments. With its debt eliminated, the thriving parish is now poised for even greater success in fulfilling its mission.