ABOUT

Frances L. Day has over four decades of experience as a nonprofit manager at the senior leadership level, primarily in higher education. Her work focuses on moving organizations to higher level functioning by building and re-building management systems, ensuring mission-driven programmatic initiatives, and improving fundraising programs and campaigns.

Currently, Day is Chief Officer of Institutional Advancement at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, one of the oldest craft schools in the United States. With a staff of five professionals, she is responsible for marketing, enrollment/recruitment, fundraising, events management, grants, scholarships, communications, major endowments, and capital campaigns.

During her nine-year tenure, achievements include an increased annual operating revenue from $2.2MM (2014) to $8.0MM+ (2023); increased net asset base from < $10MM to $54MM+; completed a $37MM endowment campaign in < 18 months; increased liquid operating reserve from <$1MM to $7MM+; increased donor base from 500 to 3,756 giving units; and built a diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative.

During Covid, the CEO left suddenly. Day led the senior leadership team in managing the operations, kept every employee on at full salary and benefits, and raised over $3MM to keep employees on without invading the reserve fund. She also served on the CEO Search Committee of the Board of Governors.

Day is a former employee of Future Generations. Her time at the organization was interrupted when she had a serious car crash. During her time, she assisted the President in developing the legal framework for the entity that has become Future Generations University. She assisted with getting approval from the West Virginia Department of Education, writing the By-Laws, completing the 501(c)3 application, and getting accreditation underway. She has remained a friend of the organization.

Early career positions include CEO of the Haskell Foundation at Haskell Indian Nations University, Dean of Development at College of the Atlantic, and Vice President at Unity College. She was an independent contractor providing fundraising and management services, worked as a remedial reading teacher, and was a science and environmental reporter. She is a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Daughters of the American Revolution.

PAST EXPERIENCE

• Chief Officer for Institutional Advancement at Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts
• Former Vice President Institutional Advancement at Future Generations University
• Masters in Management Engineering and Anthropology at UCLA and University of Tennessee