Case Study:
Breakthrough Revenue Strategies: How Auxiliary Programs Revitalized Breakwater School
An interview with David Sullivan, Senior Advisor at Spark and former Head of School at Breakwater School.
Unlocking Revenue Potential
Join us for an exclusive case study episode featuring David Sullivan, Senior Advisor at Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative (SPARC) and former Head of School at Breakwater School.
In this episode, David shares his transformative journey of turning around Breakwater School's $350,000 deficit into consistent surpluses, emphasizing the importance of innovative auxiliary revenue strategies.
What You'll Learn:
Leadership Change and Financial Opportunities: When David Sullivan took over as head of Breakwater School, he faced a $350,000 deficit on a $2.5 million budget. This challenge spurred him to innovate, leading to a strategic focus on auxiliary revenue that would ultimately transform the school’s financial health.
Auxiliary Revenue as a Lifeline: Sullivan’s background in auxiliary programs and the school’s financial situation led him to develop innovative auxiliary revenue streams. Incorporating these streams with traditional fundraising and enrollment strategies provided financial stability for the school.
Living Endowment Concept: A major donor advised Sullivan to view auxiliary programs as a living endowment. Instead of relying on large donations to build an endowment, generating consistent revenue through auxiliary programs provided a sustainable financial model.
Initial Investments and Growth: Breakwater School initially faced financial losses in its auxiliary programs, but within two years, the programs began to break even and eventually grew by 20% annually. Over time, these programs contributed significantly to the school’s financial health, increasing their budget contribution from less than 3% to 25%.
Community Integration and Public Purpose: By developing programs for public school students, Sullivan fostered community goodwill and enhanced the school’s public purpose. This integration helped rebrand the school as a community resource rather than an isolated institution.
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2. Interview transcript
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3. Discussion prompts
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