SUCCESS STORY:
Philadelphia Education Fund's New Event Enhances Image to Serve Funding Goals

Challenge:  For 20 years, the Philadelphia Education Fund quietly carried out its work, improving the quality of public education for underserved youth throughout the Philadelphia region.  The problem was that they operated a little too quietly. In 2005, shortly after Carol Fixman became the organization's new Executive Director, leadership realized that launching a campaign to attract individual donors—a goal to help diversify support for the group's work—would be an uphill battle without also increasing visibility.

Opportunity:  The Philadelphia Education Fund engaged Bower & Co. Consulting LLC to assist with laying groundwork to make a shift.  Bower & Co. collaborated with Ms. Fixman and a working committee, comprising staff, board, and volunteer committee members, to create an event, in honor of the organization's 20th Anniversary.  The gala event would help tell the organization's story and provide a hook to galvanize support for individual giving.

"Gail Bower was critical in helping us create an appropriate and effective manner to commemorate this important milestone for our organization."

Carol S. Fixman, Executive Director
Philadelphia Education Fund

Results:

Here's what happened:

 "It was mainly due to Gail's creativity and high professional standards that this event was extremely successful."

Carol S. Fixman, Executive Director
Philadelphia Education Fund

• The Eddy Awards, honoring the individuals, businesses, and community groups whose successes and commitments symbolize the Ed Fund's vision of quality public education, welcomed its first guests in November 2005. 
• The event was a sell out and a moving celebration, honoring a current college student who is also a scholarship recipient of the Ed Fund's Philadelphia Scholars program, a community group, the leader of an important educational organization, and a public school alumnus who just so happened to be a leading Philadelphia philanthropist. 
• The generous financial support by individual supporters and strong commitment by corporate sponsors underscored how valued the Ed Fund's work is in the region.  It also signaled a basis to continue the event and to cultivate revenue from these sectors. 
• At the second year of the event, also a sell out, the Ed Fund honored Grammy Award winner Jill Scott, a Philadelphia public school graduate, and, as a poet, an eloquent speaker. Through personal stories, she reinforced what a tremendous impact even one public school teacher can have for a student.
• During both years, the event generated more than a 150 percent return.
• The other award winners included a student; a fraternal organization that supports young African American males in building self-esteem, positive values, and direction; GlaxoSmithKline; and Eagles Youth Partnership, an educational non-profit organization started by the Philadelphia Eagles. 
• With such compelling stories, the media coverage during the second year was beyondthe Ed Fund's expectations.  Plus, with the media sponsor, WHYY, Philadelphia's public broadcasting station, we featured these stories during the program.  After the awards were presented, an on-air host for WHYY conducted a brief and intimate interview with the award winners, providing the audience with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

To see photographs and read the press coverage from the 2006 Eddy Awards, visit http://www.philaedfund.org/eddys/index.html.

"Gail, I wanted to let you know--and I think it is safe to assume that you did not hear my public thanks to you at the Eddys itself —  how grateful I am to you for the job well done. Your careful attention to detail made the whole thing flow.From the staff and board committee I hear you are a pleasure to work with as well. Many, many thanks."

Helen Cunningham, Chair
Philadelphia Education Fund Board of Directors