Humble ISD Education Foundation hosts 'Mine the Gap' conference

More than 200 administrators, staff and faculty received tips on grants and fundraising during this year's Mine the Gap conference on Aug. 7 at Atascocita High School in Houston.   Rice University's Center for Philanthropy and Non-Profit Leadership partnered with the Humble ISD Education Foundation for the conference, where attendees learned about grant research and writing, volunteer recruitment and management, creating lasting relationships with donors and how to manage effective fundraising campaigns.   The keynote address focused on Houston's cultural, social and economic changes during the last three decades and was given by Stephen L. Klineberg, co-director of Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research. Attendees also viewed a screening of Klineberg's short film "Interesting Times: Tracking Houston's Transformations through 30 Years of Surveys."   Other panelists and guest speakers featured during the conference included Mike Delzotti, director of philanthropic resources at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center; Jan Mitchell Johnson, president of Grantsformation Inc.; Dawn Koenning, consultant for Dini Partners; Cristian Murdock, vice chancellor of Arkansas State University; Anne Murphy, partner with Dini Partners; Angela Seaworth, director of The Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership at Rice University; and Iska Wire, director of development at Rice University.   As part of the conference, several awards were given to Humble ISD school for their fundraising accomplishments, presented by Board of Trustees Parliamentarian Robert Sitton and Katherine Wade-Smith of Humble ISD's Community Development office. Winning honors were Bear Branch Elementary for Best Fundraising Campaign; Timbers Elementary for Best Wish List Push; and Fall Creek Elementary for Best Fundraising Event. Nine graduates of the Community and Philanthropic Leadership Program were also recognized during the conference.   This was the second year Humble ISD hosted the conference. For more information about the district, visit humble.k12.tx.us.