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Plano resident matches donors to charities
From Staff Reports
Susan Swan Smith has emerged as one of the leading philanthropists in North Texas. The Plano resident’s newest role is Chief Relationship Officer at Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT), where she is in charge of cultivating new donor relationships, connecting donor passions with community needs and finding innovative ways to encourage matchmaking in North Texas.
“My goal is to have my pulse on the community and make the greatest possible impact,” Swan Smith said. “That means not only recognizing the needs of nonprofits, but also recognizing the dreams and priorities of the donors and finding a way to match the two.”
Swan Smith has been heavily involved in the local community for years. Before joining CFT, she worked at The Hockaday School for nearly six years, serving as Assistant Dean for Development and External Affairs. She was recruited to Hockaday from Southern Methodist University, where she oversaw operations of SMU’s development department as Assistant Vice President for Development and External Affairs.
Now, Swan Smith says she has embarked on an even more challenging type of education: teaching donors how to make the biggest impact possible in the community in collaboration with CFT, one of the nation’s largest community foundations.
“Dallas is an extremely charitable city, and with every dollar that flows into CFT to help meet a need, there are countless people and stories woven together,” she said.
CTF professionally manages almost 900 component funds and has awarded more than $1 billion in charitable grants. Plano charities and non-profits have received $2.1 million across all grant types via the CTF from July 2011 to February 2012.
“My goal is to have my pulse on the community and make the greatest possible impact,” Swan Smith said. “That means not only recognizing the needs of nonprofits, but also recognizing the dreams and priorities of the donors and finding a way to match the two.”
Swan Smith has been heavily involved in the local community for years. Before joining CFT, she worked at The Hockaday School for nearly six years, serving as Assistant Dean for Development and External Affairs. She was recruited to Hockaday from Southern Methodist University, where she oversaw operations of SMU’s development department as Assistant Vice President for Development and External Affairs.
Now, Swan Smith says she has embarked on an even more challenging type of education: teaching donors how to make the biggest impact possible in the community in collaboration with CFT, one of the nation’s largest community foundations.
“Dallas is an extremely charitable city, and with every dollar that flows into CFT to help meet a need, there are countless people and stories woven together,” she said.
CTF professionally manages almost 900 component funds and has awarded more than $1 billion in charitable grants. Plano charities and non-profits have received $2.1 million across all grant types via the CTF from July 2011 to February 2012.
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