Board approves Phase 1 fundraising planning with consultant to build philanthropic capacity

The Stanley County School Board approved moving ahead with Phase 1 of a fundraising and organizational-planning process presented by a consultant from Maxwell Strategies.

The consultant described Phase 1 as a discovery and planning stage: interviews, donor research, a case statement and early “quiet-stage” conversations with potential major donors and local fundraising partners (booster clubs, foundations, community groups). "It is about the momentum of the foresight and the thought that's gone into it," the presenter said, framing the work as building long-term capacity rather than an immediate ask to replace district resources.

Board members asked whether Phase 1 commits the district to Phase 2 and to paid fundraising solicitations; the consultant and trustees clarified that Phase 2 — active solicitation and longer-term campaign work — would require a separate board decision and contractual commitment. The board approved the motion to proceed with Phase 1 by voice vote (the meeting record shows a first by Jess and a second by Tyler). The motion referenced a dollar amount during discussion, but the transcript of the spoken figures is ambiguous; the board recorded the authorization without detailing the Phase 1 contract value in the minutes. Staff will return with a written scope and any recommended contract terms before contractual execution.