Community College Journal - February/March 2011

Generating;Buy-In;From;Faculty;and;Staff
A number of effective strategies can engage faculty and staff in grant development.
Among them are:
•;When;engaging;faculty;around;a;project;idea,;it;is;often;useful;to;first;produce;a
“concept;paper,”;a;one-;or;two-page;overview;of;the;idea;and;some;potential;proj-
ect objectives and activities. This approach forms the basis for a discussion with a
program;officer;to;assess;the;merits;of;a;project;idea;and;discuss;how;to;present
it in the context of a full proposal.

•;Introducing;faculty;to;program;officers;through;a;concept;paper;often;results;in mutual;buy-in.;When;this;happens,;program;officers;become;invested;and;helpful in ushering through a well-developed proposal. Many strong professional relationships between faculty and funders have begun this way.

for community college professionals of all stripes.

The Case for Support
All successful fundraising begins with
a compelling case for support. The case
is often made in the need statement of
a grant application and describes the
merit of a project idea toward satisfy-
ing an institutional or societal need.
The case for support must relate to the
charitable interests of the donor or
the funding agency. Every approach—
whether through a foundation, govern-
ment agency, or individual—begins this
way. Building the institutional ethic of
fundraising presumes a universal under-
standing of the college’s strategic plan
and why it is important. Taken together,
the strategic plan and development plan
should yield a compelling case for sup-
port that all stakeholders can support.

In the new normal under which our colleges operate, most agree that resource development is essential, yet the playing field remains uneven. Some colleges, by virtue of size, population demographics, and geography, are better poised to win grants and attract donors. At the same time, the call for accountability and cost-effectiveness now favors the funding of partnerships and collaborative efforts. This allows small colleges or those just getting into resource development to capitalize on the experience of others. Collaboration may be between colleges or between a college and a local school system or with local nonprofit organizations. Whatever the alliance, these partnerships are often key for community colleges seeking to advance their mission through expanded fundraising.

To find out more, visit the Council for Resource development at www.crdnet.org.

STEVEN BUDD is president of River Valley Community College in Claremont, N.H.

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