Trustees & Foundation Board set future fundraising directions at July 20 meeting
Members of the Cincinnati State Board of Trustees and members of the Cincinnati State Foundation Board of Directors held a 3-hour retreat on July 20 to review College fundraising efforts of the past 5 years, and discuss fundraising priorities and directions for the next 5 years.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Board of Trustees and the Foundation Board voted on a resolution of support for a new multi-year, multi-million dollar fundraising campaign. Both Boards unanimously approved the resolution.
Members of the Cincinnati State Alumni Association Board also took part in the retreat, along with members of the College Executive Team, other College administrators and faculty members, staff from the College’s Development/Advancement Office, and staff members from Ignite Philanthropy, the organization that provides consulting services for the Cincinnati State Foundation.
Marqus Foster, a CState Accelerate student, spoke briefly to thank the Board members for efforts to fund the CState Accelerate program, which he said made his own college journey possible.
Elliott Ruther, the College’s Chief of Institutional Advancement and Foundation Board Executive Director, presented information about the success of the 50th Anniversary Comprehensive Campaign. The Comprehensive Campaign spanned five years (Fiscal Year 2018 through Fiscal Year 2022) and raised over $21 million for the College through $12.8 million in private gifts and $8.2 million in public grant funds.
Ruther noted that the successful campaign included 100% participation by the members of the Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board, and the Alumni Board, as well as growth in gifts received from College employees and alumni.
President Monica Posey presented an overview of the College’s Strategic Plan and recent achievements related to each of the four Strategic Pillars of the Plan: Achieving Academic Success, Enriching the Student Experience, Engaging the Community, and Strengthening our Future.
Retreat participants formed breakout groups to discuss priorities and potential projects for the next comprehensive campaign, and then gave brief reports on each group’s discussion. Topics included:
- Supporting Scholarships and Student Relief
- Supporting Health Programs
- Expanding the Aviation Maintenance Technology program
- Supporting the Workforce Focus Fund
- Serving Butler County
- Supporting other projects, including the Midwest Culinary Institute, the Workforce Development Center “Smart Factory” initiative, and the Clifton Campus Facilities Master Plan, as well as expanding the CState Accelerate program.
Next steps will include formation of a Campaign Leadership Cabinet that will finalize fundraising goals for the next 5-year comprehensive campaign.
Additional information about College fundraising campaigns will be presented at a Common Time in November.
The next meeting of the College Board of Trustees is Tuesday, September 27, 2022, at 3:45 p.m. in the Conference Center on Clifton Campus.