Paul Broadie II

Across the U.S., community colleges grapple with the same challenge: how to provide a high-quality, responsive, and innovative education with limited fiscal resources. State allocations and student tuition alone are often not enough to sustain the wide range of academic programs, student services, and forward-thinking innovation our communities depend on, leaving institutions in danger of becoming stagnant.

Our institutions must be good fiscal stewards of the resources entrusted to us, and we must diversify our portfolio to maximize impact throughout the educational landscape. Unlike universities and private colleges, community colleges have traditionally relied heavily on state funding and tuition dollars, leaving them vulnerable to state funding swings and shifts in enrollment.

At Santa Fe College, we have recognized this reality as a call to action. To meet the evolving needs of our students, support our employees, and provide area employers with a highly skilled workforce that can propel and uplift our communities well into the future, we have embraced a proactive, entrepreneurial approach to resource development. This methodology diversifies our fiscal portfolio to further support the college’s strategic priorities and bolsters access and student success. By growing a culture of philanthropy and strategically expanding our sponsored projects and grant initiatives, we have positioned ourselves to thrive and innovate.

This evolution did not happen by accident. It required deliberate leadership, institutional alignment, and a steadfast commitment to innovation. 

Strategic Fundraising Begins with Presidential Leadership

As president, I see myself not just as the chief student advocate, or chief academic or administrative officer, but also as the college’s chief fundraiser. I take that responsibility seriously. Fundraising is not something to delegate; it must be led from the top. I work closely with our Office for Advancement and the Santa Fe College Foundation to engage our alumni, community partners, and philanthropic leaders in meaningful conversations about impact, access, and the individual and generational transformation resulting from the power of education.

Our mission resonates deeply with donors. They understand that when they invest in Santa Fe College, they are investing in the success of students, families, and entire communities.

This philosophy was never more evident than when we received a $40 million unrestricted gift from MacKenzie Scott, the largest in our college’s history. That transformative gift allowed us to advance a college-going culture throughout our service district; create a Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence to support faculty professional development and instructional innovation; expand access through increased scholarships; invest in workforce education; and expand essential student support services to address such issues as food insecurity, mental health care, and access to digital tools.

But large gifts alone are not the foundation of our future. It is the consistent engagement with donors, both large and small and new and long-term, that fuels our momentum. Cultivating relationships, listening to our community, and aligning giving with strategic priorities is at the heart of our philanthropic and grant-seeking model.

Building Capacity Through Sponsored Projects

While philanthropy has a major institutional and student impact, external grant funding powers our ability to innovate. Santa Fe College is fortunate to have a highly capable Sponsored Projects Office that has become an engine of institutional growth. This office plays a leading role in identifying grant opportunities, working with faculty and staff to craft compelling proposals, and managing the post-award process to ensure that every dollar is used effectively and in compliance with grant requirements.

Through this work, we have secured state, federal, and private grants to expand programs in healthcare, biotechnology, information technology, and, most recently, advanced manufacturing and semiconductor training. In fact, we recently received a $3 million Florida Job Growth Grant to launch a new Associate in Science in engineering technology, with a focus on semiconductors.

This is just one example of how grants and funding support from business and industry are enabling us to respond quickly to workforce demands, create new academic pathways, and support economic development across the region.

Innovation and Impact

Santa Fe College’s funding streams, philanthropy, and sponsored projects are not just financial tools. They are catalysts for innovation. They have allowed us to create Achieve, Conquer, Believe, and Excel (ACB Excel), a pioneering dual-generation workforce program that empowers adult learners to earn industry-recognized credentials while their children participate in STEM learning and enrichment. This model closes opportunity gaps for entire families and strengthens the pipeline between education and employment.

They have also allowed us to provide wraparound student services that go beyond the classroom: mentorship, wellness resources, childcare, and more. These services remove barriers and give every student the tools they need to succeed. Furthermore, they have allowed us to remain agile, adjusting programs, launching new initiatives, and scaling up successful models as community needs evolve.

A Call to Action

The financial challenges facing higher education are real, but so is our capacity to rise above them. Waiting for additional state funding or increasing tuition is not a strategy. We must create our own opportunities. We must build our own capacity. And we must do so with creativity, collaboration, and an unwavering focus on student success.

To my fellow community college leaders: Diversify your college’s fiscal portfolio, invest in your advancement infrastructure, build a culture of grant-seeking, and embrace your role as chief fundraiser. Your students deserve nothing less than your boldest vision and your relentless pursuit of the resources to realize it.

Community colleges are uniquely positioned to drive workforce readiness and upward mobility. But we can only fulfill that promise if we have the courage to lead beyond the budget.