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The Nueva School is a pre-K–12 independent school located in California, U.S. Here's how it shifted its advancement operations to leverage data and modernize its practices to reach fundraising success.
THE CHALLENGE
Modernizing Advancement Practices
The Nueva School serves gifted students with a pioneering social and emotional learning curriculum. The school started off with grades K-6 and has grown to grades K-12, graduating its first high school class in 2021. Additionally, the school partners with global entities to share their learning processes and collaborates with peer institutions.
Advancement Efforts—Pre-CASE Membership
Prior to hiring its first official director of development in 2019, fundraising efforts at Nueva School were spearheaded by a dedicated group of parents. These parents were effective but, as volunteers, they were under-resourced and missing opportunities that a full-time advancement staff would have found.
The biggest challenges the volunteer fundraising force faced were:
- Not using best practices in advancement,
- Lacking reliable data collection and analysis to guide strategy,
- Not receiving trust and support from the board of directors, and
- Not having formal structure and organization.
Advancement efforts were falling short of the school’s full potential. Without serious training and resources, volunteers cannot achieve the success that a professional staff can. Realizing this, the school decided it needed dedicated staff to drive results to serve a growing population and hired a full-time director.
THE SOLUTION
Leverage Data to Build Sustainability in Nueva School Advancement
Joe Cheeseman, Nueva School's first official director of development, had already used CASE resources and instruction to excel in previous advancement positions. He'd previously attended CASE's Summer Institute for a week of intensive learning and networking. He knew the CASE’s value and community and wanted to have it available for his new position at the Nueva School. Equipped with CASE membership for the Nueva School, Cheeseman accessed and benchmarked to devise fundraising strategies.
Leveraging the CASE Community
Throughout Cheeseman’s overhaul of Nueva School’s fundraising, the CASE community provided an essential layer of support. CASE members and staff are always available to answer a wide range of questions and help with problem-solving initiatives. CASE’s collective resources support members to grow and increase institutional advancement performance.
The Data and Benchmarking Long Game
Cheeseman implemented best practices to start collecting and recording pertinent fundraising data. He also used CASE data to benchmark against similar schools to understand where Nueva School stood and its growth potential. As the data accumulated, he was empowered to build fundraising strategies and target new donor groups. He was also positioned to scale growth and undertake long-term planning for sustainable revenue.
Expanding the Advancement Office
As the school’s data grew and the fundraising campaigns expanded, more revenue was funneling back into the school—and there was room to grow even more. Cheeseman worked hard to find new staff, often collaborating with the CASE community for vetting and assistance. With the right people in place, he introduced staff to CASE webinars, conferences, and resources. He designed a development office where advancement professionals were positioned to succeed.
RESULTS
Advancement Trajectory Skyrockets
Powered by CASE resources and community, the Nueva School's development office is generating impressive results. The institution has achieved financial stability and is poised to manage growth effectively. The development office closed a $100 million capital campaign, putting it in an elite group of institutions serving gifted students.
Nueva School Enjoys Growth and a Bright Future
