Overcoming Your Board’s Reluctance to Ask for Funding
Success Story: Roxboro Community School
Most public schools can rely on government funding to assist in bricks and mortar funding needs, but what if you are a public charter school and ineligible for such funding? How do you raise awareness and support for your school amongst the local community, including those who do not and will not have children attending your school? Can you depend on the financial support of current and past student families? These were just a few of the concerns facing the team at Roxboro Community School, a North Carolina public charter school, as they embarked on the school’s first capital campaign.
The Situation:
Roxboro Community School (RCS), located in Roxboro, NC, is a 10-year-old public charter school. The school has been ranked in the top 3% of North Carolina public schools and regularly graduates close to 100% of its seniors. To provide even more opportunity for its students, the school wanted to renovate a portion of its facility, the 100-year-old Roxboro Cotton Mill, to create a new multipurpose area and gym.
The school’s board of directors didn’t envision using this just for its students, however; they wanted to create a new family and community venue. To achieve this goal, school officials realized that they needed to engage the entire community, involving them in the planning process as well.
Funding Goals:
Secure the funding needed to build a new gym/multipurpose area
Engage community members in the planning process, broadening the school’s base of support
The Challenges:
Board members did not feel comfortable asking for money.
School admission is lottery-based, so potential funders had no guarantee their children would attend the school.
As a North Carolina charter school, RCS was ineligible to receive state funding for bricks and mortar needs.
The Convergent Approach:
The funding feasibility study is widely considered to be a key component of the capital campaign process, and that was definitely the case here. RCS had to come up with a strategy to raise the funds needed for its renovation without the support of any state funding, and it had no way to guarantee local parents that their children would be able to attend the school and utilize the new facility.
To overcome these obstacles, community members were asked to participate in the feasibility study and provide their thoughts on how best to complete renovations to the cotton mill so that the new facility would be an asset to the entire community. This input helped shape the plans for the size and specifications of the renovation so that the finished product would provide a new and much-needed event space for the community.
In order to complete the campaign as quickly as possible, RCS engaged Convergent on a full-time basis, meaning the project director was on-site five days a week, ensuring the campaign moved forward on schedule. Additionally, the project director made the ‘ask’ on behalf of RCS, relieving the staff, board members, and volunteers of the responsibility. Our professional solicitations focused on the return on investment that investors would receive by supporting the new facility, instead of relying on personal connections to justify the pledge amounts requested.
The Results:
In just twelve months, nearly $1,600,000 in pledges was secured for the Raise the Roof campaign. Community members were more informed about the quality of the school’s educational programs and success, increasing its base of support. Convergent’s aggressive timeline enabled the school to begin renovations ahead of schedule, ensuring that current students benefited from the success of the campaign.
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Raised
$1,600,000
“There were times when I was present at the ask and was actually shocked at how much our campaign director asked potential funders to commit, not to mention when they actually agreed to that amount! We really appreciated not only how professional our project director was in his interactions with our community stakeholders, but also how invested he was in our community while here. He attended community events and became a familiar face, leaving a very positive impression.”
Natalie Brozy, Former Executive Director, Roxboro Community School
Testimonials
Dr. Edna Baehre-Kolovanide
“We have benefited from the Convergent team's extensive experience and knowledge about targeted fundraising. We embarked on a Major Gifts campaign around workforce training needs in five high demand occupational areas of our service area with laser sharp messaging about the ROI for business and industry."
Dr. Edna Baehre-Kolovanide Tidewater Community College | Norfolk, VA
Andrew Keenan
“The fact that Convergent could make the ask was huge. Working with our director and joining solicitations made me a better fundraiser – that was the right formula for us. Moving forward I feel much more confident in making asks and telling our story, and that is going to make us more sustainable in the long run.”
Andrew Keenan, Executive Director Callanwolde Fine Arts Center | Atlanta, GA
Lisa Zaken
“In the span of six short months, our Board went from being nervous about the initial campaign investment to being ecstatic with the attainment of our goal, and our subsequent stretch goal! Convergent can do it like no other. Their system is rigorous and extremely effective. We have nothing but great things to say about this organization!”
Lisa Zaken, President & CEO Leadership Gwinnett | Duluth, GA
Dion Davis
“The strategy and support offered by Convergent helped our Board expand its vision for the Foundation, which in turn helped to refocus and redefine our organization's impact in our community. The methodology behind their capital campaign process not only helps to raise more money in the immediate, but it also builds best practices for long-term investor relations and lays groundwork for the success of future funding initiatives.”
Dion Davis, Former Executive Director Jekyll Island Foundation | Jekyll Island, GA
Robin Mauck
“Working with Convergent has been a pleasure all the way around. Their approach is customized to your organization and their expertise is unmatched in the field. The Convergent team immersed themselves in our process, culture, and goals to provide exceptional value during our campaign. They truly walk alongside you every step of the way!”
Robin Mauck, Executive Director Obria Medical Clinics Gwinnett | Lawrenceville, GA
Aimee Hall
“I loved working with Convergent. I never could have done what Convergent did. If you want to run a successful campaign, you need to bring in that expertise. Thanks to their help, our capital campaign really took us to the next level within our community.”
Aimee Hall, Executive Director Safe Homes Domestic Violence Center | Augusta, GA
Phillip Aldridge
“I wanted to thank everyone from the Convergent team who assisted in our campaign. Of the varying ways the campaign’s success may be measured, I count it a blessing that we achieved what we did. Not just the funds committed but the contacts made, the level of exposure reached, and ultimately, what the funds and exposure mean in terms of how many more we now serve as a result. My thanks is in recognition and appreciation for Convergent serving as our fundraising counsel and for the patience and professionalism demonstrated throughout the campaign. You were a godsend for Valley Healthcare!”
Phillip Aldridge, Board Chair Valley Healthcare System | Colombus, GA
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