Fund-raising by public colleges and universities has been important in their founding and operation throughout U.S. history. At first, fund-raising was the responsibility of the president, and later also of trustees and regents. The term "development" came into use in the 1920s, when private donations were solicited to supplement public funding. Fund-raising offices became part of college administrations in the late 1940s, and comprehensive and systematic fund-raising has evolved in more recent years. Little research on public college fund-raising has been conducted, most since the 1960s. Fund-raising methods appear to differ little from those used in other non-profit organizations, particularly in cultivation of donors and donor involvement in the institution. Although the fund-raising professional has traditionally been recruited based on experience in higher education, many skills are transferable from other non-profit settings. Desirable characteristics include integrity, enthusiasm, creativity, and capacity to inspire donor confidence. The public university fund-raiser of the future must be able to build strong team support throughout the institution and work well with the institution's public relations professional, perhaps within one office, for purposes of both planning and administration. (Contains 23 references.) (MSE)