Questions posed to Committee attendees:
1) What is one asset you bring to the Board and Development Committee?
2) What is one asset/area you'd like to develop and add to your fundraising and development wheelhouse?

Committee members shared candidly about strengths and confidence areas as well as areas they would like to further develop and grow, including:

Collective Assets
Having a parent perspective, understanding challenges of schools and having the burden of juggling standards and education; teaching background, extensive experience in schools and student-centered programming; many connection in the education sphere; ability to bring unique and relevant perspective/lens into the thought process; knows how to "sell" a program; strategic thinking about giving; understanding the different approaches or linkages to ECS; raising awareness; expertise in sales, marketing and networking; can do cold calls; has time to make calls if needed; working with partners and creating a quality experience for our partners; relationship builder; passion and fearlessness; coaxing a new friend to ECS to become a lover of ECS; 

Collective Growth Opportunities
Would like to grow confidence, comfort and ability to make a larger dollar ask; overcoming feeling of burdening others with an ask; leveraging existing connections; making the big asks rather than just laying the foundation; more of a connector than a cold caller; don't know many people with major giving capabilities; network in LA proper is limited; connecting the experience to the ask; time and ability to prioritize developing the connection.

 

Committee members discussed the importance of board members identifying those who might be interested in ECS and sharing where they've seen this done successfully or when they in fact were the ones identified by others.

• Denise Berger stated that being intentional is really important and being mindful of when to keep your powder dry and when to fire it up. We can't keep talking to the same people about the same issues.
• Ernie Levroney shared that he is comfortable with pitching and speaking about our programs in a way to get people on campus. 
• Julie Vo reminded committee members that should they identify prospects but feel challenged about how to connect folks to ECS, that this committee is the perfect space to bring those questions to for feedback and input. 
• Cathy Creasia asked about what happens after someone is invited to a tour.  She also asked if there is an explicit list of needs that can be sent. 
• Julie Vo explained that once they are on the tour then she will work with the board member to consider best ways to follow-up and further engage. 
• Ernie L. is able to make himself available for a tour.
• Anthony Jowid suggested reaching out to local professional networking associations about hosting meetings at our school sites.
• Alison Diaz reminded committee members that we are also looking for high-quality teachers

ACTION:
Development team to send board and committee members a clear list of needs and opportunities for sites and programs
Dev team to send reminders to all board members about upcoming tours and send out info about upcoming grants/trustees
JV to forward open position and reminder about teacher recruitment
AJ to reach out to local YPOs on meeting space
CC. to look into hosting ECS students on a tour of USC (transportation included) and admin clearance and support

Committee members reviewed the fundraising progress to date. Julie V noted that without the 2-year capital goal, the fundraising goal is $652,800 and at $478,087 we are 73% to our goal (general and possibilities funds).

Denise B. asked about corporate sponsorships and what is in the pipeline for opportunities
Julie V. mentioned upcoming campus-centered opportunities such as Career Day at ECMS-Inglewood and Earth Carnival at ECHS
JV also explained the rationale for the General Fund goal - $300/student goes to support wrap around, after school, counseling, outdoor ed trips, etc.  
Committee members suggested highlighting the student story - create a profile of a student (ie help a student get on the bus!)

ACTION:
Earth Carnival support request to Shade Hotels
Mock Interviews, send info to Denise & Anthony, invite Sketchers and Chevron to mock interviews
 

Wrap-up GOAL/ACTIONS/REFLECTIONS

• CC: Appreciate frankness of committee members sharing where they're at and how they do everything. Gives her ideas and opportunities - brings her back to what she used to do CC's Action: USC has info session for parents/students about getting to college. How can we get some students there?
• EL action: Has been creating a running list. Reach out to those specific people and connect them to ECS. 
• DB: Great share out. Kicking around different approaches and ideas. 
• AJ: Will reach out to ND and ACE program. 
• AT: F/U with education contact. 
• AD: appreciate a solid conversation to give me a different viewpoint on how to interact with the board.
• JV: Appreciate candidness. Please feel free to cc me on any email you are sending out to contacts.