FEA Day

Join us to celebrate all things FEA on December 11, 2025!

FEA Day Activate The Village Session: How to Philanthropy! Making Fundraising Feel Feasible

Thursday December 11, 2025 at 1pm ET

Featuring Lamar Shambley, Teens of Color Abroad; Melissa Matsubura, Hawai’i Pacific University; Angie Schaffer, Fund for Education Abroad; and Bill Gertz, Cyril Taylor Charitable Foundation

Join the Fund for Education Abroad for our next Activate the Village conversation, focused on one of the most common requests we’ve heard from colleagues across the field: how to confidently and effectively “do philanthropy.”

Many international educators are eager to seek funding for scholarships and program support, but aren’t sure where to begin. This session brings together a panel of practitioners and funders who have successfully navigated this landscape. Our panelists will share practical insights from the institutional and organizational sides of securing scholarship support, including how they make asks, identify funders’ priorities, and conduct the research that makes all the difference. Bill Gertz, wearing his Cyril Taylor Charitable Foundation Trustee hat, will offer a funder’s perspective—what resonates when evaluating organizations, the stories and data that stand out, and how funding decisions are made.

Attendees will leave with approachable, actionable guidance to help them advocate for their students, their offices, and our wider field. We’ll also touch on the growing importance of philanthropy as federal funding priorities continue to shift. Whether you’re new to fundraising or simply looking to strengthen your approach, this conversation will help you feel more prepared—and more empowered—to make the case for international education.