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Nelnet and FACTS Management Company recently announced that they will contribute $600,000 to Florida’s Step Up For Students scholarship program—enough to fund more than 150 scholarships for low-income students.

Nelnet and FACTS contributed a portion of their Florida corporate income tax liability to help fund the Step Up For Students scholarship program. The scholarship program is one of a select few in the country that work to expand educational opportunities for students who qualify for a free or reduced-price lunch by providing either annual private school tuition scholarships of up to $3,950 or transportation costs of up to $500 to attend an out-of-district public school. This helps empower parents to choose the private or public K-12 school that is best for their children.

“The partnership with Step Up For Students allows us to fulfill our educational mission by reaching out to Florida’s most economically disadvantaged families with scholarships,” said Tim Tewes, Nelnet Executive Director and FACTS President. “We have a responsibility as corporate custodians to invest in the education of our youth. Step Up For Students ensures that all students have access to the education that best meets their needs, regardless of financial circumstances. We are proud to be a part of that mission.”

Since 2002, corporations such as Nelnet and FACTS have contributed more than $500 million to the Step Up For Students scholarship program. Today, those donations serve more than 27,000 students throughout Florida. “We have a strong belief that every child is unique, and through participation in this scholarship program companies like Nelnet/FACTS give families of limited means educational opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach,” said Doug Tuthill, President of Step Up For Students.

About Step Up For Students
Step Up For Students is part of a state law, the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, that provides scholarships to low-income students. Any private school in the state may participate in the program.

To apply, contact the state Department of Education directly or visit the agency’s website.

Further information is also available from Elizabeth Watson, Step Up For Students school development director, at  ewatson@stepupforstudents.org.

FACTS President Tim Tewes (left) Executive Vice President Jim Owens (right) and Vice President Brian Barry (second from right) present the scholarship donation to Step Up For Students President Doug Tuthill to help provide scholarships for children who will attend one of the SUFS affiliated institutions.

Working Together to Further Catholic Education through Fundraising.

Catholic Schools have a long history of providing children with strong academics, faith, and values. But in today’s economy, many Catholic schools are now facing declining enrollment numbers and increased expenses. In many cases, tuition only covers 54% of elementary operating costs, leaving Catholic schools in need of alternative sources of revenue.

Through the Catholic Alumni Partnership, Catholic elementary schools in Connecticut and New York have found success by reaching out to their alumni for donations. Using FACTS Donor Services technology to electronically manage and streamline the donation process, these schools are now able to create a brighter future for themselves and students by facilitating alumni donations.

Reaching Out to Alumni
The Catholic Alumni Partnership (CAP) is a collaborative effort among more than 300 Catholic schools and seven dioceses located in Connecticut and New York. The Partnership was created to advance Catholic elementary education through sustainable fundraising programs by connecting with alumni. But in order to do that, these schools first had to organize their alumni lists—a major undertaking considering much of the information predated computers, with some of the documentation going back as far as the 1940s. Dr. Margaret Dames, Superintendent of Bridgeport, CT, said that “CAP and Changing Our World, Inc. (the fundraising consulting services firm managing the implementation of the program) worked hand-in-hand with the dioceses to update alumni information, while FACTS provided the vehicle for alumni connections through their Donor Services product”.

Making Necessary Changes
Before the CAP initiative, Catholic elementary schools lacked the means to contact alumni for possible donations. “Catholic elementary schools tend to be small, are attached to a parish, and lack the sophisticated organizational structure necessary for fundraising,” said Dr. John Shine, Superintendent of the Diocese of Norwich, Connecticut. That’s why the Catholic Alumni Partnership is so vital; it provides a needed support system for elementary donations.

“The Catholic Alumni Partnership has brought our elementary school Advancement programs to the next level and facilitated our on-going efforts to reconnect with alumni,” said Dale R. Hoyt, Superintendent of the Archdiocese of Hartford.

A Bright Future
It was clear from the beginning that FACTS would be the right partner for CAP. FACTS had a long-standing relationship with these Dioceses—Dr. Dames said there was a “trust factor” with FACTS.

Great customer service also made the decision easy. Kim Shea, CAP Coordinator for the Archdiocese of Hartford, said, “FACTS has gone above and beyond the call of duty to provide the support our schools need. You can tell that FACTS shares our mission of furthering Catholic education.” And, while it’s still early, the partnership has already paid dividends. “Every day when we go to the mailbox, it’s like Christmas,” Kim said. “We’ve received so much warmth and love through alumni quotes, memories, and donations.” The Catholic Alumni Partnership and FACTS have made an immediate impact on the schools they serve and have created a sustainable donation model for years to come.

For more information on the Catholic Alumni Partnership, click here.

For more information on FACTS Donor Services, click here.

¹Catholic Alumni Partnership

The new FACTS tuition management and payment processing platform is here. To better explain it, we’ve created an informational online video.

In addition to helping parents better manage tuition and fee payments, we can help you collect monthly tuition payments, down payments, semester payments, full payments, and even incidental fees incurred outside normal tuition costs—things like athletic fees and after-school care. With FACTS, you can bill and track all fees through a single system, simplifying reconciliation, data entry, and audit scope while permitting all monies to come in one way.

FACTS Tuition Management also offers:

We’ve started the process of migrating some schools to this new system for the 2010–2011 school year. Others will make the transition for the 2011–2012 school year. When the time comes for your school to begin the transition, you will be notified and our staff will work with your school through each step of the migration.

View our online demo

FACTS undergoes an annual SAS 70 audit and is also PCI DSS and Red Flags compliant. If you’re using any other provider or are in the process of choosing a provider, make sure that they meet all the highest security standards and are doing business according to financial security protocols. It’s your assurance that a service organization is doing everything they can to ensure sensitive financial information belonging to your school and families is safe and secure.

What is the SAS 70 audit? The Statement on Auditing Standards No. 70 (SAS 70) is an audit standard designed for third-party service organizations. Client organizations use the SAS 70 results of their service organizations in their own audits, thus avoiding the costs of having to

audit the service organizations themselves. The SAS 70 addresses all aspects of the service organization’s control environment—policies, procedures, personnel, security, management, etc. There are two types of SAS 70 audits, with level two being significantly more extensive. FACTSis SAS 70 Level II Audited on an annual basis.

What are the PCI DSS? The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS, or more commonly just PCI) are a set of standards set forth by the four major credit card associations to protect cardholder data. All merchants and processors need to have physical, electronic, and procedural controls in place to ensure that cardholder data is stored and handled securely at all times. FACTS is PCI DSS compliant.

What is the Red Flags Rule? The Red Flags Rule is a rule set forth by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions (FACT) Act to prevent identity theft. The rule requires creditors and financial institutions to have a written program in place describing how the entity identifies, detects, and responds to indicators (red flags) of identity theft. FACTS is Red Flags compliant.

FACTS ASSOCIATES IMPROVE WORKSPACE, RELATIONSHIPS

At FACTS, we make an environment of teamwork and unity a top priority. The Assistant Account Managers (AAMs), who are headquartered in Lincoln’s Fountain Suites, are at the forefront of customer communications, as they must always be available to take school contact calls. “Our busiest time begins in June and runs through October,” says Team Leader Rebecca Logston. “We depend on each other as a team and need to stay positive and focused.” The busy season could have presented a problem for team-building; however, some innovative and fun changes have brought the AAM team closer together.

The AAM team incorporates team building and encouragement into their weekly team meetings by integrating themes such as respect, unity, accountability, teamwork, and reciprocity. By using the theme in a weekly activity and covering the once drab walls with inspirational messages, associates mentally rejuvenate even during the busiest days. “On your way to the copier, you get a mental break and read something positive,” says Joelle Nickel, an AAM who helps organize meetings and find quotes.

Another cooperative effort has benefitted both the account management team and the community. Erika Epperson, Assistant Account Manager, has created a volunteering calendar for associates to find activities that help Lincoln, Nebraska. “It was important to develop ways for us to get involved in the community,” Erika says. One way employees are giving back is by reading to children at Elliott Elementary. “We have individuals who use their lunch hour to read with children who are struggling to read or are falling behind,” she says. The reading program also led to a successful clothing drive before the school’s Christmas break.

After nearly a year, Rebecca can reflect on the success of her efforts. “These quotes and activities reinforce the way we want to operate as a team and serve our customers,” she says.
“In the midst of peak season, it is easy to get busy and forget that it’s the little things that make all the difference.” Rebecca and her team have done a great job keeping our associates first by investing time in personal relationships and mental well-being. It only takes a small amount of time to motivate and inspire someone, either in the office or in the community. Make an impact today.

During renewal time last year, the Account Manager team at FACTS embarked on a Go Green Challenge to show our schools the benefit of Electronic Reenrollment. Electronic Reenrollment makes paying for tuition easy and convenient year after year and reduces time and
paperwork at the school office. This initiative resulted in 280 schools changing to Electronic Reenrollment, which saved over 30,000 paper agreements from being printed.

Schools that made the switch were included in a drawing for an interactive whiteboard for their school. Holy Redeemer High School in Wilkes Barre, PA and Star of the Sea School in Virginia Beach, VA both won interactive whiteboards.

Our sincere thanks to schools for helping us save countless trees and congratulations to our whiteboard winners!

PHOTO CAPTION: Christopher Russo, FACTS Senior Vice President (bottom left), Dr. Cathryn Whisman, Principal of Star of the Sea School (right), fifth grade teacher Kristine Mitchell (left), and the fifth grade class pose with the interactive whiteboard.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently announced the schools identified by the U.S. Department of Education as the No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools for 2009. The Blue Ribbon Schools program honors public and private K–12 schools that are either academically superior in their states or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement.

FACTS is proud to serve several of the U.S. Department of Education’s Blue Ribbon
Schools for 2009 (listed here).

From all of us at FACTS, congratulations to these schools for their commitment and dedication to excellence in educating our nation’s youth. Your efforts are to be commended. A complete list of 2009 Blue Ribbon Schools is available on the  U.S. Department of Education’s website.

FACTS 2009 Blue Ribbon Schools:

The National Special Olympics touches the lives of thousands of people, and next summer it’s coming to Lincoln, Nebraska—home of FACTS Management Company. As a Bronze Sponsor of the 2010 National Special Olympics, we’re proud to play a part in helping thousands of athletes and families experience this memorable event. FACTS and Nelnet will be the primary sponsor of all aquatic events during the week-long Special Olympics games.

Many FACTS associates and their family members will also have the opportunity to volunteer at the Special Olympics. In addition to aquatics, the Special Olympics athletes will compete in 13 types of events including track and field, softball, basketball, and gymnastics. The competition will be held at various locations throughout Lincoln including the University of Nebraska–Lincoln campus. If you or someone affiliated with your school or office will be attending, please be sure to let us know. We’d love the opportunity to meet you.

With sports at the core, the Special Olympics organization is a leader in the field of intellectual disability and the world’s largest movement dedicated to promoting respect, acceptance, inclusion, and human dignity for people with intellectual disabilities. With programming in the areas of health, youth and education, family support, research, and policy change, Special Olympics allows more than 3.1 million athletes to participate in 227 Special Olympics programs in 175 countries. If you’d like more information, visit the 2010 Special Olympics website.

We're pleased to announce that Heather Pierce and Jami Jensen have accepted the positions of Team Leaders for our K–12 Implementation team. The K–12 Implementation team is dedicated to streamlining the on-boarding processes for new and existing customers. Both Heather and Jami deliver exceptional customer service and bring extensive FACTS product knowledge and top-of-the-line experience.

Heather Pierce will lead a team of Customer Service Managers (CSMs) and Implementation Specialists with an added focus on helping advance our Web-Based Enrollment and Donor Services products. Jami will also lead a team of CSMs and Implementation Specialists with her primary focus on the new tuition management product as well as the implementation of new schools onto our system. FACTS is dedicated to coordinating our leading-edge technological developments and to serving our customers at the highest level. We know Heather and Jami will succeed in this new opportunity.

Heather Pierce (top)

Jami Jensen (bottom)