Des Moines Public School District and the Des Moines Public Schools Foundation have jointly hired an experienced fundraiser as part of a larger push to grow community and donor partnerships.
Melanie Campbell will serve simultaneously as the district’s director of philanthropic engagement and as the nonprofit foundation’s executive director. Her dual roles include building and maintaining relationships with current and new donors, connecting with community members and groups, and creating fundraising strategies.
Campbell has more than 25 years of experience working with fundraising and community outreach, according to the district’s news release.
Seventy percent of her $144,680.20 salary will be paid by DMPS and the remainder by the foundation.
Most recently, she served as vice president of Institutional Advancement, Philanthropy, and Community Engagement at Mercy College of Health Sciences. While with the college, she directed a $15 million capital campaign
“There’s a lot of exciting things happening at Des Moines Public Schools with the Reimagining Education effort, and those big strategic plans take resources,” Campbell said in an interview with the Des Moines Register. “… to get this work done, it’s going to take a lot of partnerships between community and businesses and donors, as well as alumni and families. It’s sort of an all hands-on deck effort, and with these new big changes, we need big resources to support that.”
DMPS’ five-year, $265 million Reimagining Education, Reinvigorating Schools initiative aims to improve student academic outcomes and retention and classroom offerings. The plan includes the creation of several signature schools — including the yet-to-be built Moulton Arts Academy — and expanded career programs.
The district and foundation officials felt it was the right time to hire a shared employee to help build relationships with new and existing donors and community partners because of changes to education and overall rising costs, interim-Superintendent Matt Smith told the Register.
“Everything is changing in our landscape educationally, and so we passed a Reimagining (Education general obligation) bond, and we’ve got a ton of opportunities on the horizon for kids to expand opportunities, and every public and private partnership matters moving forward,” Smith said.
The DMPS Foundation and its fundraising efforts help support academic opportunities for the district’s students and staff.
“This new leadership model positions us to think bigger, build deeper partnerships, and expand our impact across the district,” said foundation board Chair Katy Swalwel.
Campbell plans to spend her first few weeks on the job meeting with families, students, staff and donors.
“Just really listening and learning as much as I can, and also (listening) to current donors,” she said. “(And asking donors) why do they support this effort already, and how can we continue to grow those partnerships?”
Samantha Hernandez covers education for the Register. Reach her at (515) 851-0982 or svhernandez@gannett.com.
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This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines schools, DMPS Foundation hire director to boost fundraising
Reporting by Samantha Hernandez, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Samantha Hernandez, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
