Santa Fe Preparatory School

Creating a Culture of Teamwork

Background: Santa Fe Preparatory School (Prep) had completed a strategic plan which called for a $7 million investment. These funds would support the design and construction of a new $4 million library and classroom building, the creation of a more unified campus design plan with a central plaza and a reworked traffic scheme, and increased endowment.

Solution: The Compass Group was retained to partner with Prep to conduct a Planning Study and assist them with the execution of the campaign. A campaign was new for Prep’s staff and board leadership, and fundraising in Santa Fe, New Mexico, was very competitive. The recommendations from the Planning Study provided both insight and direction that, when implemented, enabled Prep to be successful.

Success: The highlight of this campaign was the way that Prep’s staff and board leadership worked together. They relied on each other, trusted each other, supported each other, and cheered each other on to success. They even named themselves the “Dream Team”—and had t-shirts to make it official. That attitude and teamwork created an enthusiasm and culture that remains in place today. Prep successfully completed a $10 million campaign and built the skills and confidence to follow that up with a subsequent campaign.