For 150 years, Boston’s urban Catholic schools have provided a high-quality and affordable educational option to local families; primarily immigrant families. They’ve become integral institutions in the city’s neighborhoods. In the last 30+ years, the schools served over 78% of diverse learners speaking 30 languages at home. While the schools have stayed true to their founding principles, the financial model has changed including modest increases in tuition to make up for the significant decrease in religious women.
The Inner-City Scholarship Fund (ICSF) increases access to Catholic schools for low-income families. Most of our students attend preK-8 grade schools, which do not require admission exams. This is a critical time to engage students and provide them scholarships to attend our Catholic schools as the most rapid brain development and learning happens between infancy and age 12. These schools have some of the highest high school and college graduation rates, and provide students with self-confidence, character building, and faith: a strong educational foundation. Equal access to these schools is a socioeconomic equalizer as one-in-four students who live in low-income conditions do not graduate from high school.
Partnering with The Lynch Foundation
Both Peter and Carolyn Lynch received partial scholarships growing up. They personally experienced the life-changing impact of access to education on students and their families.
It’s this impact and effect on the community that has led to one of the longest partnerships at the Lynch Foundation.
Peter Lynch has been the Chairman of the Inner-City Scholarship Fund (ICSF) since 1991. During that time, he has helped raise over $190 million for partial scholarships.
Overall, these funds support approximately 4,000 students annually on a needs–based requirement. Scholarship recipients have a 100% high school graduation rate. This is a testament to the power of accessible education and support.
Specifically, The Lynch Foundation has provided two major investments into endowments in 2000 and 2019. These gifts established three endowment funds to support the Archdiocese of Boston Catholic Schools in the following areas:
- Scholarships
- Technology
- Marketing
The three endowment funds ensure that the ICSF will exist for generations of children to come, as well as support the current visions and needs of the schools and their students.
The three endowment funds together are valued at over $25 million.