If you are new to community colleges and/or educational advancement, where do you start? It all begins with solid planning. This pre-conference, designed specifically for people with fewer than three years of community college advancement experience, will give you a solid foundation to help ensure both your success and that of your college. You will learn how to develop an annual plan, key elements of stewardship and – most important – how to build and nurture relationships internally and externally. You’ll leave with plenty of examples, good questions to be asking, and pearls of wisdom from several experienced advancement professionals. Plus, you’ll be connected with a new group of professional colleagues who will be friends and fans for the rest of your career. *Separate registration required

Frustrated by a lack of clarity about the role of the board in relation to your college’s and your foundation’s mission? Tired of the 80/20 rule describing your board? Ever wonder, "Do we have the right board to achieve our audacious goals?" or “How can our board be more engaged in our annual fundraising or capital campaign?” Come explore how you can define the relationship with and the responsibilities of your board and increase board engagement at all levels. Led by the Dutchess Community College Foundation and Community College of Aurora Foundation, participants will dig into topics like Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), board roles and responsibilities, strategic planning, board engagement and self-assessment, and practical, hands-on activities to expand your board’s fundraising capacity. NOTICE: this is not a passive session! Come ready to reflect, reimagine, plan next steps, and unleash the potential of your board. *Separate registration required

Community college presidents and chancellors face immense pressure to deliver results: enroll more students, raise more public and private funds, engage more alumni, develop more corporate partnerships, and get more “good” publicity ... to name a few. Let’s talk about what’s working and lessons learned from what isn't. We will dive into challenging questions including: • How can advancement efforts align to support strategic enrollment management efforts? • How much time and effort should we put into alumni relations? • How can advancement efforts support workforce development priorities of the college and community? • What are the most effective fundraising strategies (and is my college raising as much as it should)? • How can I advance the college’s brand and my personal brand more favorably in the media and with stakeholders? Those who register for the pre-conference will be invited to submit questions and topics ahead of time to be added to the discussion. Dr. DeAnna Burt-Nanna, President of Monroe Community College, will lead the discussion and draw on the experience and expertise of everyone in the room, so plan to share your successes and challenges. Please note that you must be a current or incoming community college president or chancellor to register for this pre-conference. Foundation presidents/CEOs should not register for this event. *Separate registration required

About half of Americans (48%) say they have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in community colleges, compared to one-third (33%) reporting the same level of confidence with four-year colleges and universities, according to the Lumina Foundation-Gallup “Confidence in Higher Education” survey from July. Our timing is perfect for community college advancement leaders to turn these good vibes into better relationships —but how? How do community colleges convey to their constituencies that they are worthy of financial support beyond tax dollars and tuition? What should they highlight, and what approaches will give community colleges the best return-on-investment? This presidents’ panel, moderated by Sue Cunningham, CASE President and CEO, will offer perspectives on these issues, provide inspiration, and set the stage for the conference.

Join Dr. Mautra Jones, Oklahoma City Community College President and Tracey Storey, BWF’s Associate VP to gain insights into how to leverage strategic planning as a powerful tool for institutional growth and success. This forward-thinking case study not only maps out how Oklahoma City Community College crafted an ambitious strategic plan but also how the plan is both deeply intertwined with the college’s foundational values and an ambitious statement about the college’s future. Ideal for those poised to initiate their own strategic plan or seeking innovative approaches to foster a culture of creative collaboration, this presentation will inspire you to embrace strategic thinking. Learn how to effectively align your mission with actionable strategies that cater to the needs of your community. This is a unique opportunity to Prepare to be inspired and to harness strategic planning's potential to revolutionize your college's future.

Developing the kind of aspirational, destination board that changes the trajectory of your institution's fundraising performance requires planning, collaboration, communication, courage and commitment to iterative change. Participate in a facilitated conversation with two institutions that are at difference stages of board and fundraising maturity to gain insight and ideas to take back to your foundation that will help you to grow engagement and improve fundraising outcomes.

During the 90th anniversary of Tyler Junior College (TJC), an initiative was launched to transform an out of date municipal auditorium into a comprehensive performing arts center. Originally, community members came forward to address limited renovations due to safety concerns. Due to their leadership and generosity, the vision emerged for a $13.5 million project supported by a successful $8.5 million Campaign for the Performing Arts.

This session will feature a case study of the Campaign, which raised more $8.6 million towards the new facility and two accompanying outdoor spaces. This was the first, more traditional campaign for TJC and the Tyler Junior College Foundation, which strategically engaged resources to successfully implement an education and cultivation phase, leadership fundraising and a more public initiative to gain new contributors and establish an endowment to preserve the new center.

What started as a small-scale remodel, became “the little campaign that could”, moving full steam ahead to provide a new, high quality, arts center serving TJC legacy arts programs and the East Texas region; build new partnerships with various community organizations; and, engage a new base of contributors through the Tyler Junior College Foundation.

Faced with a shrinking student population and a regional college attainment rate that was 20% lower than the state average, this rural Appalachian community college implemented a fundraising plan and creative solutions to changing the trajectory of its enrollment and the region's future economic viability.

An accelerated endowment or capital campaign will test an organization's advancement operations. Is your advancement office prepared to take on a campaign? Learn how one advancement office successfully navigated an accelerated campaign and and as a result transformed their strategy and operations post campaign. This case study explores how this office integrated data analytics, strategic planning, and staff development post campaign to reach new fundraising goals, cultivate new donors, and grow their office to meet new challenges.

A productive, effective, and collaborative working relationship between a college and its foundation is important to an effective campus culture of philanthropy during normal times. In times of crisis or uncertainty, it is essential. When a Foundation experiences a loss of leadership, the relationship between the college and the foundation becomes pivotal. In times of sudden change, this partnership must quickly coalesce around necessary and urgent decisions to address the situation, while also providing a sense of continuity and stability, especially if the institution is planning a major philanthropic initiative or campaign. This session will feature a college leader to share their experience working with their Foundation to respond to an unforeseen loss of leadership at the Foundation. They will share the fundamentals of a strong working relationship, how they confronted the day-to-day and longer-term challenges and opportunities presented by the situation and reflect on some practical tools that were helpful during this period of uncertainty and loss. From communicating with donors and providing continuity, to effectively inspiring staff in the absence of the Executive Director, this session will underscore the importance of contingency planning and preparedness between a college and its Foundation.