Small Shops: Making Time for What Really Matters in Community College Fundraising
Product During this webinar, author Steve Klingaman offers insights on fundraising at community colleges and at any small shops. Topics covered include special events, annual funds, alumni relations and building a culture of philanthropy on campuses. This multimedia file is a recording of an Online Speaker Series webinar originally presented April 24, 2012.

Talking Points: A Measured Response
CURRENTS Article For years, U.S. community college leaders have argued that graduation rates are not a good barometer for measuring community college success. Two efforts are underway to address questions about community college performance with new yardsticks that provide a more accurate assessment.

Scaling New Heights
CURRENTS Article Community colleges are seeking and raising previously unheard-of sums through major campaigns. Driven by the need to fill budget gaps caused by reduced public funding, these colleges also have strong leaders championing their fundraising cause and newfound confidence that they are worthy of investment.

Conference for Community College Advancement
Conference Join colleagues from throughout North America for the inaugural Conference for Community College Advancement. This special conference will bring together professionals from all areas of advancement at community colleges, including fundraising, alumni relations, marketing and communications, and government relations.

Setting Up a Community College Student Phonathon
Product This webinar looks at how Clark College achieved success in its phonathon program. Details covered include making the case to setting up a calling center and selecting a vendor’s software. Hear how the program has grown, and learn some of the many benefits that resulted. This multimedia file, part of the Community College Webinar series, is a recording of an Online Speaker Series webinar originally presented May 15, 2012.

Metrics That Matter: Using Data to Improve Community College Marketing and Communications
Product Hear how Mount Wachusett Community College has begun using metrics to change its marketing and communications plan. During this webinar, part of the Community College Webinars series, presenters discuss how their new media strategies are informed by the volumes of data available through Google Analytics and other dashboard tools. Participants hear how the marketing and communications division at this college transformed itself in 18 months while garnering important institutional support along the way. This multimedia file is a recording of an Online Speaker Series webinar originally presented May 1, 2012.

Turning Community College Alumni into Donors
Product During this webinar, participants learn how the Community College of Baltimore County's systematic approach to data cleanup, communications and mailing with its alumni yielded an 89 percent increase in alumni giving in one year. This multimedia file is a recording of an Online Speaker Series webinar originally presented March 13, 2012.

Lessons Learned: Shifting Your Volunteer Board Composition
Product During this webinar, a foundation executive director examines the dynamics and challenges involved in changing the composition of a volunteer board. She talks about the lessons she learned during this highly contentious undertaking. This multimedia file is a recording of an Online Speaker Series webinar originally presented Feb. 14, 2012.

The VSE: An Invaluable Tool for Assessing Your Fundraising Efforts (free webinar)
Ann Kaplan and Susan Kubik for CASE
Online Seminar The Voluntary Support of Education (VSE) survey is considered by many to be the authoritative source of data on private giving to higher education in the United States. This free CASE webinar, presented by Ann Kaplan of the Council for Aid to Education and Susan Kubik of Northampton Community College, provides an introduction to the survey, shows some of the ways community colleges use data from it and provides guidance on completing the survey instrument.

New Research Shows that Transfers Support Both Alma Maters
BriefCASE Article New research reveals that community college students who transfer to four-year institutions are as likely to donate to both their two- and four-year alma maters.

Community College Case Statements
Sample Collection The CASE InfoCenter maintains this collection of case statements for a variety of campaign types and goals. Annotations include each campaign's goal, priorities, time frame, amount raised to date, website and additional publications (when available). Please log in to access the collection.

Fundraising Strategies for Community Colleges: The Definitive Guide for Advancement
Product This comprehensive guide, written expressly for community colleges, offers practical advice and concrete steps on how to build a strong advancement team that encompasses annual fund, grants, major gift and planned giving programs. Recommended for development professionals, college presidents, board members, trustees, faculty leaders and others in leadership positions at community colleges.

Necessity of Developing a Community College Alumni Relations Program
Product As community colleges are increasingly looking to alumni for support in their fundraising efforts, their need for a solid alumni relations office is becoming obvious. During this webinar, participants will hear how a school, which is only a few years into building their alumni relations programs, has expanded its database and email contacts. Includes practical ideas and some low-cost and no-cost tips that can be implemented, regardless of staff size. This multimedia file is a recording of an Online Speaker Series webinar originally presented Dec. 13, 2011. It is part 3 of a three-part Community College Webinar series.

Mobilizing a Volunteer Team for Your Community College Annual Fund Campaign
Product This webinar discusses how the Los Rios Community College District mobilized a group of volunteers to conduct a successful annual fund campaign. The team of 12 volunteers raised $40,000 in two weeks. Handouts include contains agendas, job descriptions, scripts and other items needed to run a successful volunteer appeal at a two- or four-year institution with limited staff and resources.This multimedia file is a recording of an Online Speaker Series webinar originally presented Oct. 4, 2011. It is part 1 of a three-part Community College Webinar series.

Growing Brand and Enrollment through Social Media: Tips for Community Colleges
Product This seminar will provide tips and ideas for using social media to grow enrollment and build brand. Examples and case studies will be presented that show how to integrate various types of social media, along with ways to blend social media with traditional marketing tactics. The webinar focuses on providing practical, actionable approaches that community college communicators, marketers and recruiters can begin to apply immediately to their campaigns. This mulitmedia file is a recording of an Online Speaker Series webinar originally presented Nov. 8, 2011. It is part 2 of a three-part Community College Webinar series.

Fundraising Model Proves Successful for Smaller Institutions
BriefCASE Article With a bit of ingenuity and complete trust in its volunteers, a two-person advancement team at a community college in California raised US$40,000 in two weeks. Officials behind the campaign blitz say their formula for success is tailor-made for two-year and four-year institutions with limited staff and resources.

Conference Speakers Find Gold in Community College Partnerships
BriefCASE Article "America's community colleges are probably the most democratic, influential institutions in our country. They give everyone who wants it a chance to fulfill their potential." That's according to Brian Haller, director of foundation and corporate relations at the Borough of Manhattan Community College and presenter at a recent CASE conference.

Odds and Ends: Community Opportunity
CURRENTS Article In this interview, CURRENTS talks with Kweisi Mfume about the impact community college had on his life. He also talks about rising tuition costs and the role of the government.

Connecting with Commuters
CURRENTS Article With decreased government funding for higher education the world over, many public two- and four-year commuter institutions are paying more attention to fundraising, which means reconnecting with alumni and building relationships. Since commuter schools are not likely to have much success with traditional alumni programming such as homecomings, class reunions, and tailgate parties, these institutions are finding other ways to engage former students and foster a sense of community.

Community College Organizational Charts
Sample Collection The CASE InfoCenter maintains this collection of advancement organizational charts for community colleges. Charts are annotated to help members determine the reporting relationship between the college's leader and advancement leaders; see how advancement fits into the overall college structure; and identify colleges and structures that are similar to their own, or those they might emulate.

CASE Names Director of New Center for Community College Advancement
BriefCASE Article CASE has appointed a seasoned advancement professional with community college experience and a broad understanding of higher education to serve as director of the CASE Center for Community College Advancement.

Talking Points: An Overlooked Resource
CURRENTS Article Many of today's community college students are among the best students in America and have the potential to thrive at elite four-year colleges and universities. However, too few of them have the opportunity to transfer. This article discusses the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation's Community College Transfer Initiative, which makes grants to highly selective four-year institutions that agree to increase admissions of, establish programs for, and provide financial aid to low- to moderate-income community college students.

Community College Foundations: An Analysis of a Survey Conducted by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education
CASE White Paper This white paper on the structure and staffing of community college foundations reports the results of a CASE survey conducted in 2010. The survey asked community college foundation leaders to respond to questions about board and governance, staffing, alumni relations, budget/funding, fundraising/private support, campaigns, major gifts, endowment and donor outreach.

Odds and Ends: Through the Gates
CURRENTS Article In this interview with CURRENTS, Hilary Pennington of the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation offers advice for institutions seeking funding and discusses the Gates Foundation's particular interest in community colleges.

Survey: Americans Generally Pleased with Community Colleges
BriefCASE Article The vast majority of respondents to a new survey say the quality of education at community colleges is excellent or good and that it is sometimes better for students to attend community colleges instead of four-year institutions.

Community Colleges Have Crucial Role in U.S. Economy
BriefCASE Article "Unsung heroes," "hidden gems" and "uniquely American" are just a few of the phrases national leaders used to describe community colleges during a White House summit earlier this month in Washington, D.C.

Talking Points: Funding Efficiency
CURRENTS Article The U.S. Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act puts the federal government in charge of student loans, and uses the resultant savings for a variety of priority higher education programs, including increased Pell Grant allotments and dedicated funding to community colleges and minority-serving institutions.

Private Gifts Support Emergency Aid at Community Colleges
BriefCASE Article Most emergency aid funds available to help community college students with unanticipated expenses come from private gifts, according to the results of a recent CASE survey on community college emergency aid programs. Nearly 70 percent of respondents at institutions that offer emergency aid say that requests for aid have increased during the last two years, and nearly 60 percent indicate that the pool of available funds is inadequate to meet needs.

Expert Shares Essential Elements for Successful Fundraising at Community Colleges
BriefCASE Article A leading expert in community college fundraising says having a strong team of leaders from the institution and general community is crucial for a successful campaign.

Getting Started on Your Community College Fundraising Campaign
Product Veteran fundraiser Stuart Grover offers practical advice to help community and technical colleges prepare for and undertake major fundraising campaigns. Grover offers special insights into the role the CEO and other decision-makers should play in the process. This multimedia file is a recording of an Online Speaker Series webinar originally presented April 22, 2010.

Suddenly in the Spotlight
CURRENTS Article Community college enrollments in the United States are soaring. At the same time, however, states are slashing budgets, and more students applying to community colleges today qualify for financial aid. With less money to educate more students, community colleges are turning to more strategic fundraising to fulfill their missions and meet expectations.

Advance Work: Midnight Madness
CURRENTS Article Community colleges are getting creative with class schedules to battle enlarging class sizes.

Talking Points: Standards that Fit
CURRENTS Article Traditional outcome measures, particularly those collected at the federal level, inadequately capture the breadth and varied missions of community colleges. Community college leaders are working on developing new metrics by which to measure their institutions.

Community Colleges: Growing Individual Giving with Effective Prospect Research
WealthEngine
This January 2010 white paper explores the extent to which prospect research is used by community colleges, particularly in the area of individual giving. Free registration is required to download the paper.

Getting the Green: Fundraising Campaigns for Community Colleges
Product The special challenges facing fundraisers at community colleges are addressed in this book, which offers guidance for every step of planning, carrying out, and following up on campaigns, from testing feasibility, to identifying supporters, to thanking and retaining volunteers and donors.

Talking Points: Plans for Parity
CURRENTS Article The time is right for a more diverse community college leadership corps.

Matter of Scale
CURRENTS Article Community colleges are poised to communicate the true value they provide to students and higher education in America.

Doing More with Less in Downturns Not New for Community Colleges
BriefCASE Article A national survey of community college leaders reveals that these institutions are "again at the receiving end of the 'do more with less and do it better' mantra" as they face significantly higher enrollments and steep budget cuts as part of the economic downturn.

Advance Work: All for One
CURRENTS Article The Foundation for California Community Colleges and the Network of California Community College Foundations have teamed up to produce a statewide community college alumni magazine and companion Web site.

Advance Work: A Community Evolves
CURRENTS Article A recent report found that during their time in community college, many students raise their education goals.

Specific Media Relations Programs: Waubonsee Community College - Gold Award
Best Practice Waubonsee Community College celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2006-2007. As part of the celebration, the college recognized and honored its top 40 alumni and students, calling them Waubonsee’s "Fabulous 40" to coincide with the anniversary theme of "Celebrating 40 Years of Student Success." The media relations campaign for the Fabulous 40 won an award from CASE in 2008.

Campaigns: Monroe Community College Foundation - Bronze Award
Best Practice In January 2007, Monroe Community College announced the Chesonis Family Foundation Challenge as part of the institution's campaign to raise funds for the PAC Center--a new athletic, fitness and recreational facility. By December 2007, the college and its foundation met the campaign goal of raising $6 million in private funds, including the $1.5 million challenge.

Corporate and Foundation Programs: Bow Valley College - Silver Award
Best Practice Bow Valley College's first-ever fundraising campaign, "Improving Lives Beyond the Classroom," set out to raise $10 million over five years. With funding in 2005, 2006 and 2007 from Suncor Energy Foundation, the Canadian community college developed a program called Placement Services for Immigrant Professionals. The college also leveraged the Suncor gift to launch a new integrated employment service for students, alumni and clients called BVCWorks.

Creative Use of Technology and New Media: SAIT Polytechnic - Bronze Award
Best Practice When SAITVIEW arrived on campus in spring 2007, heads began to turn upwards. Digital information screens mounted from the ceiling in 17 locations captured the attention of three key audiences: students, staff and supporters/visitors. A new tool in the college's communications program, SAITVIEW offered the latest campus news in 15-second billboard bites, conveying breaking news and internal marketing information via an easy-to-access and engaging medium in strategically located gathering spots.

Advance Work: Think Locally, Educate Globally
CURRENTS Article Students at Blue Ridge Community College had the opportunity to help a local community in Haiti.

Building and Growing Your Community College Alumni Program
Product This webinar talks about techniques that can help move an alumni program forward and build brand loyalty. Looks at best practices from a community college that has been involved in alumni programming for more than 20 years. This multimedia file is a recording of an Online Speaker Series webinar originally presented Sept. 25, 2008.

Advance Work: Bugged About Recruiting
CURRENTS Article A welding rodeo is not your common campus event, but it is the perfect recruitment and community building tool for one technical college in Washington.

Talking Points: Change Is Good
CURRENTS Article This column deals with the complexities of the credit transfer process throughout higher education.

Springboard for Life
CURRENTS Article This article focuses on public perceptions--and misperceptions--of community colleges and explores how these institutions fit into the overall landscape of higher education in the United States. It also looks at what community colleges are doing to combat some negative images that persist about them.

Big Pond, Small Fish
CURRENTS Article Large foundations are casting about for community colleges so their gifts will have a bigger impact. A parallel trend is two-year institutions creating their own educational foundations. The combination means greater funds for education improvement, research, and more.

The Advancement Myths of Community Colleges
CURRENTS Article This article shows how community college advancement is busting the myths about poor fundraising results, lack of alumni loyalty, and negative public perceptions. The reality is that development at two-year institutions is becoming more sophisticated and successful, alumni do stay engaged with their two-year alma maters, and the community college brand is coming into its own.

A Road to Be Taken
CURRENTS Article Michael Wall, director of alumni relations at Anoka-Ramsey Community College, discusses how alumni relations at communities colleges is not only possible but critical.

Career Path: The Perfect Fit
CURRENTS Article Sometimes a person outside of the field can make the best leader. That's what happened when a marketing professional became the head of the foundation of a large community college system.

Growing Giving: A Guide to Securing Private Support for Your Community College
Product As competition for state and local money mounts, community colleges must look beyond the public sector for funding: private support is needed. This book offers proven ways to grow relationships and identify giving opportunities.

Building and Enhancing Fundraising Efforts for Community Colleges
Product Designed for senior professionals, this seminar explores methods for building and enhancing advancement efforts at community colleges. Get the tools needed to boost your fundraising activity while enhancing marketing efforts, identifying and building new donor constituents, as well as offering donors opportunities to give in different facets. This multimedia file is a recording of an Online Speaker Series webinar originally presented April 26, 2007.

Advance Work: Financial Aid Simplified
CURRENTS Article Pima Community College offers gift certificates to use for tuition or fees. They aren't the flashiest gifts to give, but they make sense.

Community College Advancement: Total Resource Development
Product This paper outlines an approach to total resource development, a framework for unleashing talent and sparking entrepreneurial energy based on four key elements: (1) clear and elevating goals, (2) a broad, integrated definition of potential revenue sources, (3) strategic engagement of investors and (4) clearly assigned and broadly distributed accountability. This is one of a series of electronic papers written for and by community college development professionals. The series covers annual giving, planned giving, total resource development, public-private partnerships and the role of the president in advancement. Community College Advancement: Total Resource Development will show you how TRD can help you maximize resources, minimize waste, and exploit every opportunity. Author: Mary Crabbe Gershwin. CASE, 2005

Community College Advancement: Public-Private Partnerships
Product This electronic paper outlines how community colleges can establish productive partnerships with businesses and other entities. In relating the genesis of the Dallas County Community College Foundation’s $30 million Rising Star scholarship endowment, author Betheny L. Reid outlines a nine-step program that create successful public-private partnerships for your institution. This is one of a series of electronic papers written for and by community college development professionals. The series covers annual giving, planned giving, total resource development, public-private partnerships and the role of the president in advancement.

Community College Advancement: The Role of the President
Product This paper discusses the vital role of community college presidents to the entire fundraising process, from the identification of prospects to stewardship of gifts. This is one of a series of electronic papers written for and by community college development professionals. The series covers annual giving, planned giving, total resource development, public-private partnerships and the role of the president in advancement.

Community College Advancement: Planned Giving
Product This guide walks the reader through planned giving programs at four community colleges, covering how and why they got started, how they've been successful and where they are headed. The authors discuss their own institution’s program in the greatest detail, focusing on Kirkwood Community College’s initial efforts and current practices. A look at the other institutions provides additional approaches and philosophies. Includes the full text of Kirkwood’s fundraising standards, gift policies, investment policy and more. This is one of a series of electronic papers written for and by community college development professionals. The series covers annual giving, planned giving, total resource development, public-private partnerships and the role of the president in advancement.

Community College Advancement: Annual Giving
Product The steps outlined in this paper are intended to help community colleges establish an annual fund or give an existing program a boost. Includes 10 ways to motivate annual gifts and a look at problems and pitfalls of annual giving programs. This is one of a series of electronic papers written for and by community college development professionals. The series covers annual giving, planned giving, total resource development, public-private partnerships and the role of the president in advancement.

Community College Advancement Series
Product This series of electronic papers is written for and by community college development professionals. It covers annual giving, planned giving, total resource development, public-private partnerships and the role of the president in advancement.

Holding the Line
CURRENTS Article It's the best and worst of times for U.S. community college leaders. Even as they enjoy attention and recognition from national leaders and enroll greater numbers of students--including students who could have attended four-year colleges--they must contend with state budget cuts, tuition increases that threaten access for low-income students, competitive pressures from nonprofit and for-profit education institutions, and calls for greater accountability.

AdvanceWork: Spinning Straw into Gold
CURRENTS Article A North Carolina community college successfully turned an abandoned textile mill into classroom, office, and community space. Local residents contributed generously to the $1.8-million campaign that made the conversion possible, and by restoring a site with significance to many in the area, the institution built stronger community relations.

Setting Up Shop
CURRENTS Article The author presents stories of how institutions, ranging from two-year colleges to independent schools, have launched or revived alumni associations. Alumni officers can adapt the strategies she describes to match the needs of their own campuses.

AdvanceWork: Fruitful Marketing
CURRENTS Article Last year, Silicon Valley community-college administrators became concerned that the region's four-year institutions were attracting potential community-college students by incorrectly implying that community-college courses take longer to complete and are less relevant to the job market. Administrators needed to get the word out fast that their campuses offer convenient, online, weekend, and evening classes and cutting-edge programs for Internet-related careers. This article describes a collaborative public-service campaign to solve the communication problem.

Small Office: Capitalizing on Volunteers
CURRENTS Article As the first and only advancement professional at three-year-old Nunez Community College, Tucker helped organize a fund-raising campaign that far exceeded its goal of $1.1 million. The idea originated when the chair of the foundation board accompanied Tucker to a conference on fund-raising methods for community colleges. This dedicated and enthusiastic volunteer led the push to establish an endowment and conduct a capital campaign. Tucker recommends these steps for other small institutions: 1) educate the board; 2) solicit the board's full support; 3) hire consultants when needed; 4) recruit volunteers who can open doors; 5) accompany volunteers on solicitation visits; 6) role-play with volunteers before solicitations; 7) reward volunteers for their efforts; and 8) have fun.