Nurturing Relationships: Building Castles in the Sandbox
2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Breakout Sessions C (Philanthropy)
Description:
We often talk about collaboration, relationships, and “playing nicely together in the sandbox.” Take it one step further and learn how to build brilliant sandcastles with your funders. In real estate we say “location, location, location.” In development we say, “relationship, relationship, relationship.” This will be an interactive session. Bring your sandbox!
Objectives
This session will help you:
We often talk about collaboration, relationships, and “playing nicely together in the sandbox.” Take it one step further and learn how to build brilliant sandcastles with your funders. In real estate we say “location, location, location.” In development we say, “relationship, relationship, relationship.” This will be an interactive session. Bring your sandbox!
Objectives
This session will help you:
- Identify key contacts within the funding organization
- Understand the importance of developing relationship-building skills
- Develop key relationship building strategies

Speaker:
Polly Binns
Principal, Binns Drennon, LLC
Polly Binns, CFRE, has been actively involved in non-profit and community college planning and resource development for 27 years. Currently Binns is a partner with Binns Drennon, LLC, a consulting firm focusing on strategic and project planning, public/private partnership development, and fundraising for non-profits and community colleges. She is the former Executive Director for the Council for Resource Development, the national association of community college resource development officers, representing over 1600 members across the country. Polly has extensive experience in strategic planning, project management, fundraising campaigns, and grant development. She holds certification as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE).
Polly Binns
Principal, Binns Drennon, LLC
Polly Binns, CFRE, has been actively involved in non-profit and community college planning and resource development for 27 years. Currently Binns is a partner with Binns Drennon, LLC, a consulting firm focusing on strategic and project planning, public/private partnership development, and fundraising for non-profits and community colleges. She is the former Executive Director for the Council for Resource Development, the national association of community college resource development officers, representing over 1600 members across the country. Polly has extensive experience in strategic planning, project management, fundraising campaigns, and grant development. She holds certification as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE).
GPCI Competencies Addressed:
- Knowledge of practices and services that raise the level of professionalism of grant developers.
- Knowledge of methods and strategies that cultivate and maintain relationships between fund-seeking and recipient organizations and funders.