Strengthening Strategy and Stewardship: Continuing My Summer with NCCCF

This blog post was written by current student Lilly Parker.

In my first blog post, I shared how excited I was to kick off my summer Professional Work Experience (PWE) with the North Carolina Community Colleges Foundation (NCCCF) and begin work on a research project focused on nonprofit earned income strategies. I’m happy to report that this project has taken off in exciting ways! I’ve had the opportunity to interview executive directors from community college foundations across the state and country, including the Foundation for California Community Colleges—a true leader in this space. They generously shared how they’ve created innovative, mission-aligned earned income streams that are both sustainable and strategic. Drawing on these conversations, along with a literature review and analysis of public financial data, I wrote a final report and developed a presentation that I’ll deliver to the NCCCF Board of Directors next week. I can’t wait to share my recommendations and contribute to NCCCF’s long-term revenue strategy.

While that has been the centerpiece of my summer, I’ve also taken on a variety of projects that are helping me understand advancement from multiple angles. In my last post, I mentioned drafting a gift acceptance policy. Since then, I’ve built on that work by drafting a gift acknowledgement policy, which outlines how donors should be thanked within the first week of giving—tailored by gift size and type—and a stewardship plan, which maps out how NCCCF will build long-term relationships with donors after the initial gift. As someone who used to think of advancement primarily in terms of finding donors and securing funds, this deeper dive into donor engagement strategy has been eye-opening. Stewardship is not just a follow-up, it’s the foundation for meaningful, lasting support.

Legal compliance has also remained a key part of my role. I’ve continued leading the Foundation’s effort to secure solicitation licenses across all 50 states. This work ensures NCCCF is legally able to fundraise as it prepares to launch a national campaign to expand support for North Carolina’s 58 community colleges. It’s been rewarding to contribute to something so foundational, especially knowing that this step clears the way for new funding partnerships across the country.

Beyond policy and compliance, I’ve had the chance to work on a few internal infrastructure projects that will support strategic decision-making and timely operations. I created a conference and awards tracker to help the advancement team and NC Community College System Office staff decide which events to attend based on alignment with fundable priorities. I also built a centralized grant contract database, pulling key information from existing agreements—like payment schedules, reporting deadlines, and program contacts—so that staff can easily access critical details all in one place.

One of the most energizing moments of the summer so far was attending NCCCF’s June board meeting in Raleigh. Board members traveled from across the state to engage in dynamic conversations about the Foundation’s future, the launch of the national campaign, and the evolution of its advancement work. Sitting in the room, hearing how my work fits into the broader vision of accessible education, increased student support, and workforce development, made everything I’ve done this summer feel even more meaningful. I’m looking forward to sharing my presentation next week and continuing to learn from the smart, strategic, and passionate people leading this important work.