Key Elements
- CCS’s partnership with the James Beard Foundation (JBF) supported establishing a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization, including creating a new case for support, shifting to a more philanthropy-driven revenue model, board training, and investing in scaling the infrastructure and capacity of JBF’s development department.
- We helped prepare and guide JBF to launch their first major campaign.
As the Vice President of Development at the James Beard Foundation, I am proud of how we navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. With CCS’s support, we stabilized our operations, recruited a new VP of Development, and launched our most ambitious fundraising campaign ever. CCS’s strategic guidance helped expand our development team and foster a culture of philanthropy, shifting us towards a more sustainable revenue model. We are excited about the future and the continued growth of the James Beard Foundation.”
Jaime-Faye Bean, Vice President of Development
The Challenge
The COVID-19 pandemic uprooted the James Beard Foundation’s (JBF) revenue model, which had historically relied heavily on membership, event, and sponsorship revenue that depended on in-person events. Simultaneously, JBF was moving toward further prioritizing impact around racial and gender equity and sustainability while remaining true to its historic roots. Further, its development department lacked sufficient capacity and infrastructure to scale revenue and foster a culture of philanthropy internally and throughout its donor base.
The Solution
CCS provided interim leadership for the development department’s day-to-day priorities and strategy, while supporting the recruitment and onboarding of a new VP of Development and writing a new case for support reflective of the foundation’s renewed mission. Next, our development assessment identified opportunities to discover untapped revenue potential, scale fundraising capacity, and grow a sustainable philanthropic support base. Our feasibility and planning study then informed the foundation’s first major campaign’s goal, strategy, and messaging.
In follow up, CCS designed and implemented the comprehensive campaign plan, created the necessary systems, policies, and processes, drove campaign activity, activated and trained a campaign committee, strategized and sequenced early leadership solicitations, and maximized trustee engagement.
The Impact
CCS celebrates that through our strategic and tactical support early in the campaign, JBF secured two seven-figure pledges — its largest individual donations to date. We supported the launch of JBF’s most ambitious fundraising effort ever and secured over 30% of the goal by the conclusion of our engagement in April 2024. Further, we helped support the growth and training of the JBF development department from two people in 2020 to six people in 2024. We also facilitated the shift to a philanthropic revenue model and ignited a movement toward a culture of philanthropy within the JBF board.
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