At its core, NACRO is all about continuing education and facilitating discussion between universities. As members, we attend webinars and an annual conference where we discuss industry trends and exchange ideas. We also receive access to corporate engagement opportunities, industry publications and white paper reports. These resources help us learn from industry and peer institutions.
At the Foundation, we are always looking for fresh ideas for corporate donor engagement. Because no two universities are the same, NACRO provides a platform to think outside of the box and exchange ideas with others across the country. In fact, many ideas the Foundation has put in place, such as our corporate impact reports, have come from conversations with other institutions.
By having direct conversations with the industry, we can understand the different layers of corporate philanthropy and anticipate trends in which our donors may be interested. NACRO gives me the confidence to be a subject matter expert for corporate philanthropy at the Foundation.
Learning from our colleagues through NACRO expands our horizons in corporate philanthropy. While the resources are useful, what I find most valuable is hearing ideas from those doing the same type of work across the country. We learn about initiatives that have worked or did not work at other institutions. Corporate philanthropy is all about strategy and helping our partners accomplish what they want through giving. When companies come to our team, they are looking to give to initiatives that align with their values and needs, and participating with NACRO helps me understand how to better find and align with these needs.
In every conversation I have through NACRO, I always share the big wins and challenges that large universities face. Sometimes, I might be sitting across the table sharing ideas with someone from a private university with only 5,000 students, so I constantly try to share the large-school perspective that others may not see.
I’ve also helped with a few NACRO programs. I served on the continuing education content committee and was one of 12 in the first cohort of NACRO’s executive education program, where we mastered a set of skills for corporate philanthropy. I’ve been asked to help where needed in training the next program cohort.
Knowing that the relationships I am building with our company donors are creating an impact no one can fully comprehend. When we connect a company to a student, faculty member or campus project, we are not just changing the trajectory of the lives directly impacted by the gift. We’re also changing the lives of those who will be touched by these individuals. I like to think that here at the Foundation, we are changing the world, one corporate partnership at a time.
