A $1.2 million challenge grant will help Catholic elementary schools enroll more students from across the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Working with the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence, the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, based in Edina, received proposals from nearly all of the 79 schools, specifying grant amounts and goals, CSCOE officials said. The foundation will match fundraising done by the schools, with an Aug. 31 deadline. If every school raises their portion of the match, the $1.2 million will, in effect, become at least $2.4 million for enrollment and support such as scholarships and tuition discounts, marketing and communications and hiring more staff to meet a variety of needs, officials said.

“We are very thankful for Dick and the Schulze Family Foundation recognizing the need for helping Catholic school families and prospective families at this time,” said Gail Dorn, president of nonprofit, Edina-based CSCOE.

Catholic schools responded nimbly to the sudden demand for distance learning last March as schools across Minnesota shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic, Dorn said. Schools remained closed through the spring but continued to provide rigorous, faith-based education. Schools plan to reopen their doors this fall, with appropriate safety measures to help prevent spread of the virus.

“We are moving forward with plans to open our schools for in-person learning in the fall and we anticipate growth,” Dorn said. “These funds will help provide an option for families looking for the benefits of a Catholic education.”