At Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C), we believe that powerful ideas, when clearly defined and widely shared, can change lives, communities, and even economies. Our recently concluded Skills to Succeed fundraising campaign is proof of that.

Launched quietly in 2019, this campaign began with a bold vision: to expand access to high-quality, skills-based education that could help Northeast Ohioans thrive in a fast-changing workforce. By 2023, we didn’t just meet our ambitious goal—we exceeded it. Tri-C raised $58 million, surpassing our $50 million target by 16 percent.

This achievement wasn’t inevitable. The campaign kicked off just before the world changed. As the pandemic took hold in 2020, many fundraising efforts across higher education were paused or scaled back. I arrived at Tri-C in 2022, when the campaign was underway. I was fortunate to inherit a campaign already grounded in a bold and timely vision, thanks to my predecessor’s leadership. Our task was to build on that foundation by lifting up a message that transcends any one administration—a message rooted in regional recovery, workforce transformation, and hope. We invited donors not to give to a college, but to invest in the future of Northeast Ohio.

We weathered a global pandemic and faced similar economic headwinds that challenged community colleges across the U.S. and beyond. Yet the campaign endured. Why? Because the idea at its core—that people deserve a real shot at life-sustaining wages through skills training—spoke to donors, business leaders, and the campus community alike.

Cleveland remains the second-poorest large city in America, but we are rich in possibility. Skills to Succeed helped us invest in wraparound supports that lower-income students too often go without. It allowed us to scale programs that align with emerging job markets, ensuring that people from every background can compete, and win, in tomorrow’s economy.

Reflecting on our success, five key lessons emerge. They are instructive for any higher education leader working to build financial resources in the name of mission-driven impact.

Listen to your fundraising community. The idea behind Skills to Succeed didn’t come from a boardroom; it came from listening to the community. Donors wanted to invest in solving regional challenges. We framed the campaign not just as support for the college but also as an engine for Cleveland’s workforce revival. Our goal was clear: Equip more residents with in-demand skills that lead to real opportunity.

By framing the campaign in terms of regional outcomes, such as stronger employment pipelines, greater access, and long-term economic recovery, we helped donors see themselves as partners in a larger solution.

Effective leaders rely on great lieutenants. This campaign’s strength was collective. Our progress was stitched together by a patchwork of giving from faculty and staff to regional partners and philanthropic supporters. Internally, we cultivated a belief in the mission, turning staff and students into champions who could advocate authentically. The result was not just dollars raised, but also trust built across our community.

Fundraising is not a solo sport. It requires an intentional network of leaders who are empowered to connect with donors and tell the story.

Celebrate your wins. We honored milestones—not just the finish line. Donor appreciation events, public announcements, and personal outreach helped reaffirm the value of every contribution. Campaigns are marathons, so recognizing progress re-energizes supporters and shows transparency, gratitude, and momentum.

Carry your momentum forward. A campaign shouldn’t end with an announcement. Our success created a halo effect. The messaging, partnerships, and visibility we built continued to yield results, even after the campaign’s official close. The extra $8 million raised beyond our goal is evidence of that residual impact. More importantly, it gives us the resources to keep investing in what matters most: putting money to work for our students.

Today, those dollars are helping to bring skills training into underserved neighborhoods, expanding scholarship support and wraparound services, building institutional capacity to deliver innovative programs, and increasing workplace learning opportunities that connect students to real-world experience.

The power of an idea endures. Leadership transitions and economic crises can derail even the best-laid plans. But when an idea is strong—when it touches hearts and aligns with real community needs—it becomes bigger than the institution. Skills to Succeed endured because people believed in the idea. That belief, shared across a diverse network of supporters, is what allowed us to reach and exceed our goal.

Sustainable success in higher education means building not only programs but also the financial infrastructure to support them. That requires clarity of purpose, courage of conviction, and a community willing to rally around a shared vision.

Because when you invest in people, everyone succeeds.