FOA Communications Recognized in 2024 CASE Circle of Excellence Awards
UC Davis teams working with FOA Communications won two national awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). The Davis Day of Reflection event and IDEA$ at Work communications initiative were both honored with gold awards from the 2024 CASE Circle of Excellence Awards.
Davis Day of Reflection - CASE Gold Award
In the single-day event category, the Davis Day of Reflection received a gold award. In response to a series of high-profile tragedies in 2023, the Davis Day of Reflection invited the Davis community to mourn together, share support and envision a path forward.
FOA Communications organized the event, in collaboration with the City of Davis, Yolo County, and over two dozen university units including Health 34 crisis response team, UC Davis Wellness Ambassadors, Aggie Mental Health Ambassadors, HealthyUC Davis, Occupational Health, Academic and Staff Assistance Program, Arboretum and Public Garden, Campus Planning and others.
Despite a limited budget and a tight two-week planning window, the event saw more than 2,000 participants engage in reflective activities along a designated route. This initiative addressed grief and symbolized a collective journey through tragedy and hope.
Judges called the event “a beacon of hope and support for their community,” commending its attention to detail and meaningful impact despite budget constraints.
IDEA$ at Work - CASE Gold Award
In the communication initiatives category, the “IDEA$ at Work” campaign also received a gold award. FOA Communications developed this strategic communications campaign in partnership with the UC Davis Budget team and the Revenue Generation and Institutional Savings Task Force, to engage university employees and raise awareness about the budget challenges.
The resulting “IDEA$ at Work” campaign aimed to gather 1,000 ideas for savings, efficiencies and revenue generation, and ultimately collected nearly 2,000 suggestions by the end of the fiscal year from employees throughout UC Davis and UC Davis Health.
Judges highlighted the campaign’s success in raising awareness and engaging frontline staff in a challenge many universities face — using compelling messaging and a proven change management framework. They added, “Kudos to UC Davis on solving this challenge and doing it collaboratively with their community.”
About the CASE Awards
This year, 600 institutions from 28 countries submitted 4,223 entries across 93 categories, covering various advancement disciplines from fundraising campaigns to alumni initiatives, special events, marketing, and more. In 2024, CASE recognized 486 winning entries with bronze, silver, gold, and Grand Gold recognition, based on quality, innovation, use of resources and community impact.
All combined, UC Davis teams were honored with 11 CASE Circle of Excellence Awards in 2024 for highest achievements by educational advancement professionals around the world. In addition to the two gold awards for FOA Communications efforts, Aggie teams won an additional three gold awards, three silver and three bronze awards.