Pam Russell
Director of Communications
CASE
+1-202-478-5680
russell@case.org

For Immediate Release
Dec. 16, 2008

CASE Europe Awarded Grant to Support Higher Education Fundraising

Training to help grow programs, understanding of philanthropy at universities

LONDON-CASE Europe has been awarded a three-year, £1.5million grant from the Higher Education Funding Council for England to deliver fundraising training and support for 158 higher education institutions participating in the U.K. government's matched funding scheme for voluntary giving.

The voluntary giving scheme, launched in August, is designed to create a long-term culture of giving to education and help increase philanthropic sources of income for universities in England. Under the scheme, eligible gifts from donors will be matched through a government fund of £200 million.

"CASE is honored to have been selected for this important work bringing training and professional growth to educational institutions in England," said CASE President John Lippincott. "The U.K. government is to be commended for developing a matched funding initiative that will spur philanthropic support to higher education, and HEFCE is to be commended for investing in the training that will help build strong fundraising programs to sustain the effort. The grant allows us to build upon our longstanding work in the region."

CASE Europe's three-year training program will launch in early 2009. Drawing on support from experienced practitioners worldwide, CASE will provide guidance to professionals working at all levels in development as well as to senior university managers and leaders, including vice chancellors and deans.

The program will consist of a series of regional and national workshops, conferences, expert forums, study visits, scholarships, networking opportunities, online and in-person seminars and other resources. CASE developed its program by working closely with and assessing the needs of more than 50 U.K. higher education institutions.

"Educational fundraising is a growing profession requiring specific specialist skills," said Joanna Motion, vice president for international operations at CASE. "CASE is committed to nurturing the next generation of development directors and to continuous career education for those already in the profession. One of the key new elements of our training will be a graduate trainee programme which will help institutions develop their own fundraisers."

Recent figures indicate that nearly 875 professionals work in higher education development across the U.K. and Northern Ireland. This figure has doubled in four years, yet vacancies exist at all stages of appointment and in all types of institutions.

Motion said CASE's program is designed to support universities as their fundraising functions develop, allowing them to recruit, retain and train advancement professionals and work to change the culture of philanthropy.

David Eastwood, chief executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England, said he is delighted that CASE Europe will be working closely with the sector to provide high quality practical and strategic development support.

"The matched funding scheme for voluntary giving aims to generate increases in donations across the spectrum of English higher education, not just to those with a tradition of fundraising," Eastwood said. "This is a unique opportunity for universities and colleges to make a step-change in fundraising training, and I look forward over the coming years to seeing the fruits of this important initiative."

CASE Europe will also continue to serve members working in marketing, communications, fundraising and alumni relations across schools, colleges, business schools, universities and cultural organisations in Europe. Its year-round program of training, conferences and networking events will run in parallel to this latest program which supports the voluntary giving scheme.

About CASE

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education is a professional association serving educational institutions and the advancement professionals who work on their behalf in alumni relations, communications, development, marketing and allied areas.

CASE was founded in 1974 and maintains headquarters in Washington, D.C., with offices in London (CASE Europe, 1994), Singapore (CASE Asia-Pacific, 2007) and Mexico City (CASE América Latina, 2011).

Today, CASE’s membership includes more than 3,600 colleges and universities, primary and secondary independent and international schools, and nonprofit organizations in 76 countries around the globe. This makes CASE one of the world’s largest nonprofit educational associations in terms of institutional membership. CASE serves more than 70,000 advancement professionals on the staffs of its member institutions and has more than 17,000 professional members on its roster.

To fulfill their missions and to meet both individual and societal needs, colleges, universities and independent schools rely on—and therefore must foster—the good will, active involvement, informed advocacy and enduring support of alumni, donors, prospective students, parents, government officials, community leaders, corporate executives, foundation officers and other external constituencies.

CASE helps its members build stronger relationships with all of these constituencies by providing relevant research, supporting growth in the profession and fostering support of education. CASE also offers a variety of advancement products and services, provides standards and an ethical framework for the profession and works with other organizations to respond to public issues of concern while promoting the importance of education worldwide.

About the American Association of State Colleges and Universities
The American Association of State Colleges and Universities represents more than 400 public colleges, universities and systems of higher education throughout the United States and its territories. AASCU schools enroll more than three million students or 55 percent of the enrollment at all public four-year institutions.

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