An Investment Policy Statement (IPS) should be more than a document that sits on a shelf-it is the "North Star" for your Foundation's financial health. For community college foundations, balancing immediate student support needs with long-term endowment growth requires an IPS, reserve policy and an endowment spending policy that is disciplined, adaptable and mission driven.


This interactive session provides a practical roadmap for board members and executive directors to review, revise, and update their IPS. We'll move beyond boilerplate to ensure your policy reflects current market realities, institutional risk tolerance, and an evolving balance of priorities. Additionally, participants will see a sample of a reserve policy that enables an endowment spending practice that aligns with UPMIFA and prevents foundations from hording earnings meant for student support.


. What We'll Cover

� The Anatomy of a Modern IPS: Identifying critical components of an effective IPS.

� Aligning Spending with Strategy: Ensure spending policies and asset allocations work in harmony.

� Governance & Oversight: Clarifying roles of Investment Committees versus Outsourced advisors.

� Red Flag Identification: Spotting outdated language that may limit your foundation's operations.

� A sample reserve policy that enables a student driven endowment spending policy.

� The Revision Roadmap: A step-by-step process for updating your IPS.

Does your database feel like a closet full of skeletons and spiders? You're not alone. It can feel intimidating to even look at a database that hasn't been maintained - much less to begin the cleanup process. However, it doesn't have to be scary at all! Learn why your database should be your best friend, how to pick up the pieces of a broken database, and practical points on where to build solid foundational blocks of an effective database. Engage with the concept of a data-centric culture, including how to leverage data to secure additional resources (both technological and human). Become familiar with the signs of a database that is supporting you and a database that needs some maintenance. Pick up tips on where to begin your database maintenance and how to see a maintenance project through successfully. Your data (and your staff) will thank you.

How do you transform a regional industry relationship into a systemwide workforce development success story? This session explores how the Tennessee Board of Regents and FedEx built a strategic partnership that is expanding aviation education, increasing student opportunities, and strengthening Tennessee's talent pipeline in this industry. Attendees will learn how advancement, workforce development, and government and public relations teams aligned their efforts to secure scholarships, equipment donations, apprenticeship opportunities, and legislative support for one of Tennessee's priority industry sectors. Through practical examples and measurable outcomes, presenters will share lessons learned, strategies for engaging industry partners, and approaches to scaling partnerships across institutions. Advancement, workforce development, marketing, and government relations professional will all leave with actionable ideas for building collaborative partnerships with business and industry to drive student success and meet critical workforce needs.

This presentation will explore how small shops can break down outdated practices and build a more inclusive, energized alumni community. This session highlights practical strategies such as shifting to clear, consistent e-mail communication, designing smaller, more meaningful events, and rethinking language, such as removing "Association" to create a more welcoming identity. We'll also dig into how to educate new graduates early, helping them understand what it truly means to be an alum and how they can stay connected. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas, fresh messaging approaches, and campus-ready tactics that remove barriers and strengthen lifelong belonging.

Employee giving programs are about more than fundraising, they are a powerful way to strengthen institutional pride, deepen engagement with your students, and create a shared connection to your mission. In this session, you will receive strategies for building a culture of giving from within by engaging employees on a personal level, strategic marketing touchpoints throughout the academic year, and building a program that offers the opportunity for any employee to engage (even if it's not through a financial donation!). Together, we'll share our successes on how to create meaningful campaigns that resonate with faculty and staff, foster a sense of belonging and impact, and encourage long-term donor retention. Come ready to share ideas, exchange best practices, and leave with practical strategies to strengthen your employee giving culture on campus.

Building off of their successful CASE Webinar in May, join Lana Fontenot and Zak Boone for two mini case studies on the subject of "gift fees" and how two institutions, Central Oregon Community College Foundation and the Foundation for SoLAcc (South Louisiana Community College) approach the implementation and communication of gift fees through distinct models tailored to each's institutional culture and philanthropic goals.

As community colleges navigate evolving workforce demands, funding pressures, and growing student needs, foundations are increasingly serving as strategic institutional partners. This session will explore how the Parkland College Foundation has aligned foundation strategy with college priorities to support fundraising growth, strengthen community partnerships, and advance long-term sustainability. The discussion will examine the evolving role of community college foundations, including the intersection of major gifts, grants, government relations, corporate partnerships, workforce initiatives, and community engagement within a broader advancement framework. Participants will engage in conversation around the opportunities and challenges foundations face as they position themselves as more integrated strategic partners to their colleges.

Successful multi-college proposals require more than shared interest-they demand strategic coordination, compelling vision, and strong partnership design. This interactive session will explore proven approaches to developing competitive, collaborative proposals across multiple institutions. Participants will gain practical insights into structuring partnerships, aligning institutional priorities, managing roles and communication, building compelling narratives for funders, and avoiding common pitfalls in collaborative grant development. Drawing on real-world examples and lessons learned from successful initiatives, the session will highlight strategies for creating scalable, high-impact proposals that strengthen institutional capacity and regional impact. Whether you are new to collaborative grants or seeking to strengthen existing partnerships, this session will provide actionable tools to move multi-college ideas from concept to funded proposal.

The Promise to Career program is an innovative, workforce-aligned approach to philanthropy that connects students directly to high-demand careers while addressing regional talent shortages. Through a collaborative model involving the Los Rios Colleges Foundation, Capitol Impact, and industry leaders, the program integrates hands-on training, industry engagement, and wraparound student support to create scalable, employer-informed pathways across sectors.


The Allied Health and Construction pathways serve as anchor case studies demonstrating how cross-sector partnerships can build sustainable talent pipelines in critical industries facing persistent workforce gaps. These pathways intentionally align education, training, and career placement to meet employer demand while expanding equitable access to well-paying, in-demand careers.


Attendees will gain insight into building impactful partnerships, scaling career education programs, and advancing equitable workforce development

Nonprofit and four-year institutions have maintained legacy societies for years, yet many community colleges are only beginning to formalize planned giving recognition. This session will explore why "now" is the right time for community colleges to launch a legacy society, how these programs strengthen donor stewardship and planned gift visibility, and how they can help address the pending donor cliff as Baby Boomers age out of peak giving and Generation X emerges as a key part of the Great Wealth Transfer. Participants will leave with a clearer case for action, key benefits to communicate internally, and a practical, doable framework for starting or refreshing a legacy society program. Throughout the session, Tri-C will share its own assessment of its planned giving efforts and the launch of its inaugural planned giving society, The Guardians for the Future: Tri-C Legacy Society in partnership with its Foundation Board.