“This would never have happened if you hadn’t hired Jodi Bender Sweeney. I don’t think I’ve ever seen, or ever will see, such an extraordinary fundraising effort in such a short period of time.”

“Jodi Sweeney of the Sweeney Group was hired by Friends of the Prairie du Sac Library, Inc. on March 5, 2010, to assist with the capital campaign to raise funds for the Ruth Culver Community Library of Prairie du Sac, WI. Her services were contracted from March 5, 2010, until November 15, 2010. The campaign goal for Phase 1 of our project was $1.4M; this campaign goal has been exceeded and we continue to accept gifts in support of our campaign.”

“I cannot speak more positively about our ongoing experience working with the Sweeney Group. I first met Jodi Sweeney when I heard her present at the National School Boards Association conference a year and a half ago. After the conference, I spoke separately with Jodi Sweeney and another nationally recognized expert on school foundations. While both individuals had extensive knowledge and experience with school foundations, I recommended that our school foundation work with Jodi Sweeney because of her incredibly strong people skills.

Given the previous success of our foundation, the foundation’s board has been very cautious about transitioning to a major gifts campaign/endowment approach. Jodi Sweeny has helped us make the transition because she has recognized, validated, and built on the strengths of our foundation. She did not have a cookie cutter approach that she tried to apply to York County. For example, although the board of our foundation is much larger than is typically recommended, she did not suggest that we change what has worked well for us. We have not implemented all of the possibilities that Jodi has introduced us to. Some of the possibilities may be pursued at another time. However, Jodi has always been very flexible in supporting us as we move forward in the way that makes sense to us. Because of this approach, the members of our foundation board are embracing the changes we are making and we are attracting many other members of the community to the work of the foundation.”