Convergent’s Proven Strategy for YMCA Growth
Convergent is a regular speaker at the North American YMCA Development Organization (NAYDO) Conference on YMCA Philanthropy, speaks at state conferences, and recently exhibited at the YMCA General Assembly in July. Over 4,300 YMCA staffers and volunteers from across the country attended. The conferences revealed emerging challenges facing YMCAs that cannot be solved with a […]
Ways to Increase Community College Enrollment and Fund Program Expansion
Finding quality employees is plaguing employers nationwide. One aspect of that struggle is procuring the necessary educational programming for individuals to receive training to match employer requirements. Community colleges are a natural resource to offer those services to support employers with customized programs at affordable costs for individuals. After a decade of declining enrollment at […]
The Concerns Keeping Community College Leaders Up At Night
Declining enrollment, high dropout rates, and decreased state funding are creating a perfect storm of economic challenges that are alarming to community college leaders across the country. Since 2021 community college enrollment has fallen by more than 1 million students and 40% of all community college students drop out after their first year. Many community […]
Is Your School Ready for a Capital Campaign?
Walking before you run, reading over your notes before the big exam, pouring the foundation before the main structure–these all seem like obvious steps in achieving a goal. Yet, in my career as Head of School at several institutions over the past 30 years, I have seen numerous schools fall short of their capital campaign […]
Recession Fears Shouldn’t Stop Fundraising
It’s hard not to let concerns of an impending recession creep into one’s thoughts. You avoid looking at your 401 (k) because it’s depressing. You consider taking out a loan just to fill up your SUV’s gas tank. You find yourself talking about the good old days when mortgage rates were 3 percent. More times […]
Turning Data into Dollars
A data-driven approach to major gift fundraising and capital campaigns can help you set the bar high, but at an appropriate level, and assure that your funding effort will have the best possible chance for success. I’ll share two examples I’ve recently encountered: Organization A received an abnormally large investment from a first-time donor via […]