Fundraising to Grow the Kingdom

Why Every Dollar Matters in Christian Education

When people think about private Christian schools, they often imagine a simple model: charge tuition, pay the bills, teach the kids. But it's not that easy.

As Dr. Cy Smith points out on the Clearly Christian podcast, running a Christian school is like juggling three jobs at once. You're not only an educational institution, but also a ministry and a business. Balancing all three is challenging, especially because you can’t simply operate at a loss.  No matter how good your intentions, or what impact you seek to make, you must make money. 

Like any business, not enough is never enough.  They say if you aren’t growing, you’re slowing.  That can’t be allowed to happen for any non-profit organization.  Yet, many non-profits and Christian schools live budget to budget, hoping for just enough to survive.  It’s not enough.

Cy has spent more than 30 years leading Mansfield Christian School, and he knows this balancing act firsthand. In the podcast, he explains that while tuition might cover 65% to 90% of a school’s budget, that’s rarely enough. Nearly every private school has to rely on fundraising to fill the gap. Even the prestigious boarding schools charging $40,000–$50,000 a year still depend on outside funding to make it all work.

But, he says, it’s a mistake to count on fundraising for basic operating expenses. That approach is too risky. Instead, fundraising should go toward the things that make a school better: capital improvements, new programs, better pay for teachers. Cy says, “You don’t want to set up a budget that is hundreds of thousands of dollars short and depends on events or one-on-one relationships. Anything you raise must be above and beyond.”

So why keep pushing for “extras”? Because excellence costs money. Cy often tells his team that one of the school’s core values is excellence, and “You’ve got to make it better next year than it was this year.” New programs in STEM or media production don’t just happen. Better facilities and better teacher pay don’t just appear. These improvements require vision, and the dollars to match it.

Of course, asking for money isn’t always easy. Cy admits that early on it felt awkward to go back to families who were already paying tuition and property taxes to ask for more. But over time, he’s learned that people respond when they understand the true cost of education. He describes explaining to families just how expensive it is to run a school—from tech and personnel to maintenance and equipment—and making sure they see the value their support brings back to their children.

And it’s not just about the parents. Cy believes the whole community has a stake in supporting Christian education. He says that schools like Mansfield Christian aren’t just “mom-and-pop” operations—they’re medium-sized businesses with hundreds of employees and students. A strong private school can help attract new families and strengthen the local economy. “This rising tide lifts all boats,” he says.

But the mission goes even deeper than economics. For Cy, the real reason Christian schools need to grow is to expand their Kingdom impact. He believes that when these schools get bigger and better, they help the culture get bigger and better, too. “We need more graduates with a biblical worldview who see things from God’s perspective,” he says. “More kids who can defend the faith, who know how to integrate their faith with work.”

In short, “We need more Christians.”

It’s this vision of graduates who know not just what they want to be, but why God has called them to it that drives the need for fundraising. Building new facilities or starting new programs isn’t about luxury; it’s about preparing students to serve God wherever He calls them.

Cy also shares hard-earned advice for other school leaders considering capital campaigns. He insists you need someone dedicated to fundraising full-time. If it's always a “tomorrow” task, it never gets done. Your board also has to be all in—financially and emotionally—if you want others to follow. And he warns against planning to pay for expansions with future growth. Economic downturns and life changes can quickly derail those plans.

One of the most moving parts of the podcast is when Cy talks about the emotional side of fundraising. He says success comes from connecting with people not just mentally but in their hearts. He tells the story of a local business owner who, after years of small donations and conversations about why the school mattered to the community, eventually gave a transformative million-dollar gift. That gift didn’t just build a building; it changed the trajectory of the school and its ability to serve students.

In the end, Cy’s approach to fundraising is all about mission. It’s not begging. It’s inviting people to invest in something that matters for eternity. As he says, “We were designed for Kingdom impact. That’s what we are here to do”.

If you want to understand more about this vision—and pick up some practical advice from someone who’s lived it, listen to the full Clearly Christian podcast episode, Fundraising to Grow the Kingdom.

It’s a great reminder that when it comes to Christian education, fundraising isn’t just about dollars. It’s about equipping the next generation to live, and lead, with conviction.

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