For many development officers, giving to their alma maters, employers, or local nonprofit agencies makes them better at their jobs by deepening their understanding of donor motivations and reinforcing what to do--and what not to do. Some can testify to the importance of stewardship because they weren't treated well. Others find that seeing their…

At most institutions, annual fund-giving is down. Crowdfunding sites allow people with a great idea or worthy cause to bypass traditional funding methods and take their case directly to web-savvy investors and donors. This article describes how higher education institutions are expanding their donor pool through such crowdfunding sites as USEED,…

Institutions build armies of alumni advocates to influence legislators and shape public opinion. This article describes two types of alumni advocacy: grasstops and grassroots. Grasstops advocacy engages smaller, targeted groups of alumni who have a stronger, more influential connection with legislators and other public officeholders. Grassroots…

This article begins with an anecdote that serves as one of several that advancement professionals shared recently when asked to recount their worst moments in fundraising. Examining best practices is a great way to improve a development program, but looking at worst practices can also be enlightening. This article shares some stories that have…

Most administrators in higher education get to leadership positions by traveling paths that do not have anything to do with philanthropy and development. Having worked their way up through the academy, institutional leaders do not always have a frame of reference for understanding the nuances of development. In this article, the author discusses…

The rapid growth of international fundraising by educational institutions is an outgrowth of an unprecedented, large-scale exchange of products, people, and cultures. Institutions that previously had taken a piecemeal approach to global education have embraced a global mission, and advancement is falling in sync. International fundraising also…

In this article, the author discusses how campaigns soar, in ambitions and scope, as donor requirements grow more exacting. For a glimpse at the direction in which college and university fundraising campaigns are headed, take a look at the University of Colorado. The university system's foundation is conducting its most ambitious campaign, joining…

Just two decades ago, the United States was the epicenter of wealth and philanthropy. U.S. fundraisers seemed justified in sticking close to home, since most of the prospects were in their own backyard. Now more than ever, fundraisers in the United States and other mature philanthropic marketplaces need to look beyond their own national and…

This article discusses Georgetown University's Discovery Initiative, an advancement program in which students and recent graduates meet with alumni who are not currently involved with the Washington, D.C., university. Currently, the Discovery team consists of 50 students who conduct interviews in the Washington, D.C., area during the school year…

In 2007 the University of Colorado Boulder Alumni Association moved under the university's umbrella after the alumni members had spent 11 years under the CU Foundation. But there were two major catches. First, the chancellor wanted them to eliminate their membership dues, as he felt they competed with the annual fund. Second, he could only make up…

From its roots as a nonsectarian school started by Christian evangelists in 1850 to its heyday as a hippie headquarters, Antioch College has generated both heat and light as a beacon of progressive education. Admission has always been color- and gender blind, and it was the first coed college to allow women full participation in the classroom.…

A cornerstone of intentional stewardship is measuring outcomes--essentially keeping track of the changing behavior of donors. Evaluating stewardship outcomes may require a considerable amount of work in determining cause-and-effect relationships between stewardship actions and donor behaviors, but a few tests can be revelatory. For instance, it…

The practice of naming gifts is commonplace at most educational institutions today, although naming opportunities and policies vary considerably from institution to institution. At a small college, a gift of $1,000 might result in a naming opportunity. At a large university, gifts of $25,000 to $50,000 may be required for naming scholarships or…

Community colleges are often viewed as the gateway to higher education as well as institutions that can rapidly prepare students to enter the workforce. Yet, in spite of widespread acclaim for their effectiveness and success, community colleges have done very little to garner volunteer and financial support from their alumni. Admittedly, many…

"Securing a Sustainable Future for Higher Education," popularly known as the Browne Review, is the independent report on higher education and student finance commissioned by the British government to review how to fund university education in England. Its long-awaited publication in October 2010 sparked the most volatile and contentious…