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Conference 2005
View pictures from the 2005 Conference.

The Connecticut Consortium of Education Foundations (CTCEF) presented its 6th annual conference on October 18th, 2005, at the Crowne Plaza Hartford-Cromwell Hotel. The conference, entitled The Power of Education Foundations: A Strong Foundation for Vibrant Schools and Comm unties, attracted superintendents, board of education members, and members of existing education foundations, as well as people who are hoping to start education foundations in their towns. There were 136 registrants.

Liz Stokes, founder and president of CTCEF, welcomed everyone and introduced board member Joe Erardi. Joe, Superintendent of Watertown schools, recognized the outstanding achievements this past year of two education foundations: Somers and ACES. Receiving the award for Somers was President Joe Bachetti who commented on the impact of the $72,000 that was raised this year and on the community collaboration that evolved. Carolyn McNally and Cheryl Saloom of the ACES Education Foundation were also gratified by their successful year. Two students who benefited from one of the grants spoke about their experience in Nicaragua.

Connecticut Commissioner of Education Betty Sternberg delivered the keynote address, which focused on the Moral and Ethical Behavior of Our Youth. She suggested that high academic achievement without moral and ethical behavior is no honor at all. Students need to learn how important the choices they make are, be given real experiences, and have responsibilities put upon them.

Attendees were then able to select from among two sessions of workshops, which are listed below:

• Foundations 101: A Blueprint to Success

This two-hour workshop offered an in-depth session on the "how to" of moving the concept of starting an education foundation to reality. Panelists included Liz Stokes and Marty Rauch, CTCEF president and vice-president and founding education foundation board members in Weston and Cheshire, respectively, who have helped groups around the state; Sue Bertolini, founding president of the more recently formed Avon Education Foundation; and attorney Gary Attmore, an expert in the details education foundations need to file for the state and federal forms for incorporation and other necessary filings. Liz, Marty, and Sue explained how they got started, what worked, and some pitfalls to watch for and Gary covered the legal issues. The panelists were available both during the break and after the workshop to answer every individual question. The overwhelming reaction from the audience was that the presented information was timely, easily understood, and applicable to their needs.

• Who Are Your Donors?
  

Jocelyn Kane, Director of Annual Giving at Trinity College, shared her expertise about fundraising. A fundraising plan should be developed each year and implemented by a committee. Board members should be actively involved in personal solicitations and also contribute financially every year. It is important to know everything possible about your top donors. Jocelyn discussed database options, including PeopleSoft, Raiser's Edge, and Microsoft Access, and suggested that the database should be tailored to the lead donors. She also answered questions about solicitations, including frequency, timing, and effective acknowledgement.

• How to Encourage Great Grant Application

Presenter Clare McCully is Executive Director of the Newton (MA) Schools Foundation and was founder of the MA Education Foundation Association (MEFA). The focus of her workshop was on empowering teachers to write successful grant proposals. Clare devotes a great deal of her year in Newtown with that objective in mind. In December, she conducts a Grant-Writing Workshop for teachers, which includes guidelines, examples, and a timeline for good grant proposals. A one-page Concept Paper is due in January, after which Clare will offer suggestions for revising and improving the proposal. The full proposal is due in March and notification occurs in June. Clare credits the Grant-Writing Workshop for improving the quality of grants.

• Conversing with Your Community: How it can Benefit Your Foundation

This workshop began with a presentation of the Community Conversation model by Sonja Ahuja and Nancy Polk of the League of Women Voters of CT/Education Fund. They discussed the history of the Conversation format, its roots with Public Agenda, and the Graustein Fund's role in providing grant money to qualified communities, as well as the application process. Wilton BOE member Lisa Bogan then presented a case study of a recent Community Conversation on underage drinking in Wilton. Marge Hiller, Bridgeport Public Education Fund executive director, then used the topic to engage workshop participants in a "mini-conversation." After a lively discussion, participants really understood the power of the Community Conversation as a tool for community engagement.

• Signature Events: A Vital Part of Your Fundraising

Dawn Egan, Special Events chair, believes that an effective Signature Event is one that is immediately associated with an organization. The mission and goals for the event are clear, appropriate, and attainable. When planning an event, organizers should check the entire town's social calendar. To determine the ticket price, it's important to remember that your event is a fundraiser and not a social event. The price also depends on your town and all the costs involved. One suggestion is to tabulate all the costs for the event and then add 25 to 30 percent to determine ticket price. Successful Signature Events are ones where people leave feeling good, telling others about their experience, and wanting to return again next time. They also know what the organization is, what it does, and how important they are for supporting the organization.

• Now What? The Value of Strategic Planning

During his 30 years with IBM, presenter Joe Lamartine developed strategies for the Chairman's office to double IBM's services business over five years. He stressed that life is a lot easier if you can explain quickly who you are, what your commitment is, and where you want to go. The strategic planning process clarifies for an education foundation board who they are and what they want to accomplish. The process helps board members understand the current external and internal environments in which they are operating, develop goals and objectives, and build an operating plan to implement. The strategic process needs measurements to know what is accomplished and board meetings should include a regular review of those accomplishments and objectives. Lamartine offered two online resources: http://www.managementhelp.org/ and http://www.allianceonline.org/.

• Local Schools and Local Business-Natural Partners

Participants in this workshop included John Annick, Dee Melio, and Cherry Watkinson who have had experience with School Business Partnerships in Trumbull, New Haven, and Cheshire, respectively. They suggested that excellent contacts can be made through the Chamber of Commerce, town government officials, and local service clubs, i.e., Rotary or Lions, and through parents. Schools need to delineate how the business can help...money, time, specific skill, etc. Businesses and professionals are powerful role models when they enter into the classroom. A business has the potential for doing many activities without direct infusion of money; they can create internships, offer externships for teachers, offer workshops sponsored by the corporation, be involved with a Junior Achievement program that teaches specific lessons, and help develop career clusters in middle and high schools. Recognition, which is the key to a successful partnership, can be achieved through recognition events, newspaper articles, and making annual awards at school events.

Following the workshops, attendees adjourned to lunch. Each luncheon table had a facilitated discussion topic, which provided further opportunity for learning and networking. Topics ranged from Alumni Directory and Database Research, Making Tricky Policy Decisions, and Roles of Superintendent and BOE to The Realities of Grant-Writing, Fundraising, and Foundation Boards.

Special thanks go to the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund and the Rovins Educational Group for generously supporting this conference and to Harris Connect for sponsoring the Continental Breakfast.

CTCEF, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, facilitates the creation, growth, and effectiveness of local education foundations in Connecticut. Currently there are 77 local education foundations in Connecticut, with about 18 in the formation stage.

View pictures from the 2005 Conference.