- Rich Gross Solutions

10
THINGS YOUR
COMMUNITY
COLLEGE
SHOULD BE DOING
NOW
BY RICHARD GROSS, PH.D.
Institutional
Advancement Has Evolved
Institutional advancement has evolved over the past
decade and has taken on additional importance and
value for the future of the community college. In
addition to generating revenue, properly conducted
campaigns also result in new programs and services
aligned to the changing needs of the region, new or
extended public and private partnerships, and serve as a
vehicle to build the institutional brand. A well designed
development strategy can impact not only the college’s
success, but also that of the region.
This document takes a look at how the Community
College Development Cycle has evolved and what
colleges should be doing to accelerate institutional
advancement.
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Board Development
1. Alignment
Community
College
Then: Community colleges rarely if ever took stock of their
internal stakeholders views about either the quality of institutional
performance or the importance
Development
Cycleof performing well.
Now: Community colleges are beginning to recognize that successful
planning means all members of the college team have the same
understanding of the mission, performance, and importance of the
institutional vision, mission, goals, and initiatives.
2. Legislative Relationships
Then: Investing time in identifying a few key grant opportunities for
the college. Also, occasional visits to the statehouse to lobby for bills
that supported community college funding and programs.
Now: Grant development means working with a wide variety of
public and private funders, developing long term relationships
with key foundations that provide not only the largest grants,
but also with community foundations directing donor-advised
funds, Legislative relationships is more than lobbying. It means
building ongoing relationships with elected officials, including
them in college activities, and pro-actively working with legislative
committees, members of the executive branch, and others that
can help generate future legislative priorities in support of the
community college.
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Board Development
Community
3. Leadership/Board
College
Development
Development
Cycleboards were considered separate
Then: Foundation and governing
entities, often moving in different directions.
Now: Community colleges understand that both boards, as well as
the leadership team, advisory committees and others must share
the same understanding of institutional direction. They are all part
of the same team. Additionally, they must have the same tools and
means of communication in order to help the college succeed.
4. Community Engagement
Then: Community colleges mostly relied on program advisory
committees and occasional discussions with community leaders in
order to keep programs and services relevant to regional needs.
Now: Community colleges understand that they, like private sector
industry sectors, operate in a dynamic fast changing environment.
They must have processes in place for continuous evaluation of
the environment in which they work. Also, they must engage
in ongoing partnerships in order to have the necessary tools to
respond to that environment.
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Board Development
Community
College
Development Cycle
5. Planning/Visioning
Then: Planning was something that was done as a requirement of
accrediting agencies, often involving a few key staff. Most often the
resulting plan sat on a shelf until the next planning cycle.
Now: Community colleges understand that their vision and plan must
be part of the plan and vision of the larger community that they serve.
It needs to employ tactics, not just flowery language, that are ongoing,
outreaching, and inclusive in order to succeed. Plans can no longer sit on
shelves, but must be part of all aspects of institutional decision-making.
6. Development Assessment
Then: The development assessment process primarily centered on the
effectiveness of the institutional advancement office and how well that office
was able to generate contributions for scholarships. The main role of the
office was to engage in special events and other annual campaign activities.
Now: Development is no longer confined to that office. Revenue
generation is a key ingredient of all aspects of institutional behavior
and goal-setting. Institutional development now includes all aspects
of planning, outreach, and performance.
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Board Development
Community
College
Development Cycle
7. Feasibility Study
Then: Feasibility studies primarily consisted of interviewing
some key stakeholders to test the initiatives and financial goals of
a potential campaign, and to use that information to help form a
plan of campaign.
Now: While those elements of a feasibility study continue to
be maintained, community colleges realize that this form of
outreach can also be used to assess perceptions about the
institution, its performance and the strength of its brand. It can
also be used to conduct community summits that can help form
new partnerships and opportunities.
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Board Development
Community
College
Development Cycle
8. Campaigns
Then: Major Gifts, Capital, and Targeted campaigns focused primarily
on engaging a few key influential and affluent stakeholders and
employing strategies for garnering their investment in college
fundraising activities.
Now: While engaging influential and affluent stakeholders is still
vitally important, the campaign takes on added importance and
value. In addition to generating revenue, properly conducted
campaigns also result in new programs and services aligned to the
changing needs of the region, new or extended public and private
partnerships, and serve as a vehicle to build the institutional brand.
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Board Development
Community
College
Development Cycle
9. Stewardship
Then: Stewardship meant providing donors with quarterly
newsletter and occasional social activities as a means to thank
them for their support and to help encourage their future financial
investments in the college.
Now: While thanking donors/investors and encouraging ongoing
support is still an important component of stewardship, it now also
includes strategies for facilitating increased commitment to new or
existing partnerships, involving key stakeholders in ongoing review
of community college performance, and to stay abreast of changing
dynamics in the region.
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Board Development
Community
College
Development Cycle
10.Assessment
Then: Institutional assessment was primarily conducted in
response to accrediting agency requirements, state requirements,
or grant requirements.
Now: Assessment of institutional progress and achievement
is fundamental to the entire process of moving the institution
toward alignment and in preparing for the entire institutional
development cycle.
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For a customized look
at your institutional
advancement goals, contact
us at 855.274.1511 or email
me at rich@rgs24.com.
27426 Cedar Road // Hot Springs, SD 57747
www.RichGrossSolutions.com