Voluntary Support of Education Survey
Council for Aid to Education
Report The Council for Aid to Education conducts the annual Voluntary Support of Education (VSE) Survey, which collects data on private giving to U.S. higher education and private K-12 schools. In addition to a print report, a database called the VSE Data Miner allows subscribers to interact with 300 data variables and create custom reports. Variables include total giving, alumni participation, deferred and bequest giving, and capital purpose and current operations gifts, among others. CASE co-sponsors the annual VSE Survey and encourages members to participate.

Material Interest
CURRENTS Article What are the essential characteristics of a culture of philanthropy? Can an institution claim to have a philanthropic culture if staff giving is low? Does an institution have to demonstrate need? Does athletic success promote generosity among constituents? In a survey, advancement leaders say they struggle to identify and develop the characteristics of a philanthropic campus.

The Common Thread
CURRENTS Article Creating a culture of philanthropy can help an institution recruit a cross-section of constituents to the cause of advancing the institution and improve fundraising success. Here's how.

U.S. Colleges, Universities Raise $31B in FY2012
Article A survey released today by the Council for Aid to Education reveal that charitable contributions to colleges and universities in the United States increased by 2.3 percent in 2012 to $31 billion.

Predicted Growth Signals Return to Pre-Recession Levels of Giving to Higher Education
Press Release Fundraisers for colleges and universities estimate that giving to their institutions grew 5.5 percent in 2012 and predict additional growth of 5.8 percent in 2013, according to survey results released by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Tax Policy Center: Fiscal Cliff Deal Will Increase Charitable Giving
Article In a January 2013 fact sheet (pdf), the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center estimates that the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (H.R. 8) will increase charitable giving by $3.3 billion or 1.3 percent.

Speaking of Philanthropy
CURRENTS Article A global survey of high-wealth individuals provides some insight into their giving patterns.

Wealthier Donors Favor Restricted Gifts
Article The wealthier the donor, the less likely he or she is to make unrestricted gifts, according to the results of a recent global survey of individuals with investable assets of US$1 million or more.

Odds and Ends: Woman of the World
CURRENTS Article In this Q-and-A interview, Jane Wales—co-founder and CEO of the Global Philanthropy Forum, president and CEO of the World Affairs Council, and vice president of philanthropy and society for the Aspen Institute—discusses the changing landscape of philanthropy and the need to educate and engage the new generation of philanthropists.

Review: UK Institutions See “Step-Change” in Giving
Article Donating to universities and colleges in the United Kingdom is more widespread than ever, according to a new report that predicts donations could grow to as much as £2billion a year by 2022 if current giving trends continue.

Review of Philanthropy in UK Higher Education: 2012 Status Report and Challenges for the Next Decade
More Partnership for HEFCE
Report This review, commissioned by HEFCE, assesses philanthropic giving to higher education in the UK. It identifies the progress made across the sector over recent years; highlights the opportunities that will benefit students and further knowledge, through increased engagement between institutions and donors; and addresses its recommendations to donors, institutions and government. The review and appendices are available in PDF and Word.

U.S. Fundraisers Predict Growth in Education Giving for 2012-13
Article Fundraisers for schools, colleges and universities in the United States estimate that giving to education grew 4.9 percent during the academic year that ended June 30, 2012. Looking ahead, they predict further growth of 5.9 percent for the academic year that began July 1.

Giving to Donor-Advised Funds on the Rise
Article Contributions to donor-advised funds constituted one of the fastest-growing methods of philanthropic giving in the United States last year, according to an annual report released last month by the Giving USA Foundation.

Millennials Tap Websites First for Info on Giving, Volunteering
Article Young adults are more likely to visit a nonprofit’s website when looking for information about volunteer opportunities or giving. That is according to a new study on millennials.

Asia-Pacific Region Boasts Most Millionaires
Article There are now more millionaires in the Asia-Pacific region than in North America, according to a new report, but the combined wealth of U.S. millionaires is still the highest in the world.

New Wealth Centers
CURRENTS Article India’s potential donors are growing quickly

Report: Charitable Giving Climbing Out of Great Recession-Fueled Trough
Article Charitable giving from individuals, bequests, corporations and foundations in the United States grew from about $287 billion in 2010 to more than $298 billion in 2011, an increase of 4 percent in current dollars, according to results released today by Giving USA Foundation. Giving to education rose 4 percent to nearly $39 billion.

CASE File: Largest Gifts to Community Colleges
CASE File The institutions on this list have received a gift or pledge valued at $10 million U.S. dollars (unless indicated otherwise) or more. The list is organized in order from largest to smallest gift. The dollar amounts do not represent a donor's cumulative giving to a recipient institution. Information was compiled from press releases, articles, websites and databases. Full citations for sources can be found in the bibliography.

CASE File: Major Real Estate Gifts
CASE File The colleges, universities and independent schools on this list have received major gifts of real estate. Information was compiled from press releases, articles, websites and databases. Full citations for sources can be found in the bibliography.

Dollars Up, Donors Down for Higher Ed Fundraising in U.S.
Article Giving to higher education increased while the number of donors decreased in fiscal year 2011, according to a survey of more than 100 public and private institutions in the United States.

University Giving Continues to Rise in UK
Article UK universities saw an increase in both the number of philanthropic donors and accompanying cash income in the academic year 2010-2011, according to the annual Ross-CASE survey.

Online Giving Grows Steadily for U.S. Nonprofits
Article While one-time gifts continue to be the largest source of revenue for nonprofits, monthly giving via online channels is growing steadily. That’s according to an annual study analyzing online messaging, fundraising, advocacy, social media and mobile metrics for nonprofits.

CASE File: Unusual Gifts
CASE File This list summarizes unusual gifts to colleges, universities and independent schools. Most gifts were accepted by the recipient institution, though a few were declined. Information was compiled from press releases, articles, websites and databases. Full citations for sources can be found in the bibliography.

Ross-CASE Survey of Gifts and Costs of Voluntary Giving to Higher Education in the UK
National Centre for Social Research on behalf of the Ross Group and CASE
Report This annual survey of gift revenue and fundraising costs is carried out to measure the philanthropic performance of UK higher education and further education institutions. It is the only source of data on this subject in the UK and enables institutions to benchmark with peers. It also provides an estimate of the overall impact of philanthropy on the higher education sector. The Ross-CASE Survey site provides information about the survey, including its importance to the matched funding scheme, and findings from 2010-11 (published 23 March 2012) and previous years.

Researcher Debunks Myths about Chinese American Donors
Article "Chinese American donors are 'nontraditional.'" "Chinese American giving is 'small, private and personal.'" These are two of the myths explored and debunked in a new CASE white paper on giving by Chinese Americans.

U.S. Fundraisers Predict Steady Growth in 2012 Giving to Education
Article Results from a recently released survey of fundraisers at CASE-member institutions in the United States builds on the VSE findings with participants estimating that giving to their institutions increased in the 2011 calendar year and will continue to grow in 2012

CASE File: Largest Gifts to Education
CASE File The institutions on this list have received a gift or pledge valued at $101 million U.S. dollars (unless indicated otherwise) or more. The list is organized in order from largest to smallest gift. The dollar amounts do not represent a donor's cumulative giving to a recipient institution. Information was compiled from press releases, articles, websites and databases. Full citations for sources can be found in the bibliography.

CASE File: Largest Gifts to Independent Schools
CASE File The schools on this list have received a gift or pledge valued at $10 million U.S. dollars (unless otherwise indicated) or more. The list is organized in order from largest to smallest gift. The dollar amounts do not represent a donor's cumulative giving to a recipient institution. Information was compiled from press releases, articles, websites and databases. Full citations for sources can be found in the bibliography.

A Snapshot of "Unraveling the Myths of Chinese American Giving: Exploring Donor Motivations and Effective Fundraising Strategies for U.S. Higher Education"
White Paper This white paper, a snapshot of the author's dissertation research, explores donor motivations among Chinese Americans and looks at fundraising strategies that higher education institutions might use to exploit those motivations. This paper will be useful for fundraising professionals who wish to develop culturally sensitive fundraising strategies.

Report Indicates Grantmakers More Strategic with Education Dollars
Article A new report on trends in education philanthropy reveals that giving by grantmaking organizations in 2011 was fairly consistent with 2010 levels but that these donors were more strategic with their dollars.

New Research Shows that Transfers Support Both Alma Maters
Article New research reveals that community college students who transfer to four-year institutions are as likely to donate to both their two- and four-year alma maters.

Study Recommends Metropolitan Approach to Higher Ed Philanthropy
Article A new study describes how metropolitan areas in the United States offer unique opportunities for private philanthropy to support higher education practice and degree attainment goals.

U.S. Higher Education Hangs Tough in Philanthropy Rankings
Article Higher education institutions outperformed many of their nonprofit peers with respect to fundraising, according to recent analysis of the top 400 nonprofits in the United States.

Growing Wealth in India Leads to Increased Private Giving
Article Private giving is growing rapidly in India with the country now leading China, Brazil and other developing nations in charitable giving.

UK Government Leaders See Higher Ed Giving Growing, Gaining Acceptance
Article Political leaders in the United Kingdom see philanthropy as a growing income stream for the country’s institutions of higher education despite economic worries at present. That’s according to Kate Hunter, executive director of CASE Europe, who joined two higher education panel discussions held during the annual Labour and Liberal Democrat party conferences last month in London.

Challenging Economic Times Remain Despite Slight Uptick in Nonprofit Giving
Article A new report indicates that fewer than half of 813 surveyed nonprofits in the United States reported fundraising increases during the first half of 2011 compared with the same period in 2010.

Passing the Hat 2.0
CURRENTS Article "Crowdfunding," which allows startups and charitable projects to obtain small-scale financing through web-based campaigns, holds promise for college and university development offices.

July CFI Reports 4.7 Percent Increase in Giving in 2010-11
Article Fundraisers at educational institutions in the United States estimate that donations during the academic year that ended June 30, 2011, increased by 4.7 percent. Looking ahead, fundraisers predict further growth of 5.5 percent for the academic year that began July 1, 2011. That’s according to survey results released today by CASE.

U.S. Charitable Giving Shows Uptick Following Two Years of Decline
Article Charitable giving in the United States grew from about $280 billion in 2009 to nearly $291 billion in 2010, an increase of 3.8 percent in current dollars, according to results released this week by Giving USA Foundation. Giving to education rose 5.2 percent to nearly $42 billion, the first increase in two years.

Report: Wealthy Individuals Worldwide Likely to Increase Giving, Time
Article A new report concludes that philanthropy has a "bright future" with wealthy individuals worldwide indicating they are likely to donate more of their time, money and expertise to charities.

Donors Optimistic About 2011 Giving
Article Fundraisers have the power to increase donor retention and gift value by communicating measurable results of giving, reports a new survey on donor giving in North America.

Wealthiest Donors in UK Decrease Annual Giving
Article An annual survey of the wealthiest people in the United Kingdom reveals that charity donations from this exclusive group fell by almost one third in 2010, even as the number of donors giving more than 1 million pounds a year grew by about 10 percent.

Conference on Diverse Philanthropy and Leadership
Conference This conference will review the emerging philanthropic markets (ethnicity, GLBT, young alumni, etc.) in advancement while exploring minority buying power, giving behaviors and donor expectations. In addition the program will focus on management leadership and mentoring of advancement professionals of diverse backgrounds.

Six Behaviors that Grow Generous Donors
Article A new study indicates that what parents say and do when it comes to giving and volunteering can have a significant impact on the charitable activities of their children once they become adults.

UK Charitable Giving "Recession-Proof"
Article New research reveals that charitable giving by households in the United Kingdom is largely recession-proof with British donors giving at the same level today as they did in 1988.

CASE Europe Welcomes UK Government Call for Increased Giving
Article CASE Europe welcomed the UK government’s call for increased levels of giving and mutual support through its “Green Paper on Giving” but expressed concern over its emphasis on technology as a tactic to achieve social action and greater giving.

July CFI Predicts 5.7 Percent Increase in Giving in 2010-11
Article Educational fundraisers are optimistic that philanthropic giving to U.S. schools, colleges and universities will continue to rebound in the coming academic year. That’s according to the recently released CASE Fundraising Index.

VSE Report: U.S. Donors Show Steady Commitment to Education
Article While giving to colleges and universities during the 2009-10 fiscal year didn't increase as much as anticipated, donors continued to "demonstrate their commitment to higher education with $28 billion in private support during the slow climb out of the recession," says CASE President John Lippincott in response to the Voluntary Support of Education Survey results.

Giving in India
CURRENTS Article Individual and corporate donations account for only 10 percent of charitable giving in India.

Survey: U.S. Education Fundraisers Anticipate Rebound in 2011 Giving
Article Fundraisers for schools, colleges and universities estimated that giving to their institutions increased an average of 3.7 percent in 2010 over the previous year, according to survey results released today by CASE. They also predicted further growth of 5.6 percent in 2011.

Study Says Time to Engage Younger Generation is Now
Article Now is the time to engage individuals under age 45 as volunteers and donors – just as they move into their peak earning years, a new study concludes.

Donor-Advised Funds Predicted to Increase in 2011
Article A recently released report predicts that donor-advised funds will "rebound strongly in 2010 and 2011."

Technology, Culture Impact Giving in Various Countries
Article The United States is the "world's most generous nation," U.K. donors tend to be "less public," giving in Italy is "primarily an act of benevolence" and private giving in Australia is "highly reactive." These are a few observations highlighted in a new report by the Wall Street Journal.

Canada's Wealthy Continue to Give Despite Recession
Article A new survey of wealthy Canadians finds that nearly 60 percent of respondents say the recession has not impacted their donating habits and that two-thirds plan to give away between 1 and 3 percent of their wealth this year.

Checking In on Giving
CURRENTS Article Data on donation channels (e.g., phone, check by mail, checkout donation) overall and by generation are presented in a chart. The data come from a survey carried out by marketing, advocacy, and fundraising software firm Convio.

Report: Overall Donor Confidence in U.S. Falls
Article A new report reveals that donor confidence in the economy and expectations about charitable giving are at their lowest levels since December 2008.

Annual Checkup
CURRENTS Article The Ross-CASE Survey of Gifts and Costs of Voluntary Giving evaluates the philanthropic health of universities in the U.K.

Report Says Nonprofits Face Tough Climb to Pre-Recession Success
Article The nonprofit sector continues to face an "incredibly difficult philanthropic environment." That's according to the findings of a new survey.

New Study Says Happy People are More Generous
Article A new global study finds that happier people are more likely to give money to charity than those who are wealthy.

Odds and Ends: Where the President Knows Your Name
CURRENTS Article In this interview, Walter Kimbrough, president of Philander Smith College, talks to CURRENTS about his use of social media, as well as the impact philanthropy can have on historically black colleges and universities.

Survey Sees Shift in Giving, Move Toward New, Independent Donor
Article Today's donors are confident, pro-active and more likely to give online. They also have a growing preference for supporting fewer nonprofits, don't like being over-solicited and want to see measurable results of their giving.

Survey Indicates Wealthy Donors May Give More to Offset Higher Taxes
Article Nearly 90 percent of financial advisers expect income taxes to increase for most of their clients in the next 12 to 18 months, and one in four predicts clients will increase charitable giving to offset these tax hikes, according to new survey findings.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words
CURRENTS Article As Hong Kong’s education institutions begin to solicit private funding, people there are learning to adapt Western advancement techniques to their singular philanthropic culture. Wong, a Hong Kong advancement professional, explains some of the differences between the two cultures’ approaches to major giving and notes trends that may soon make fund raising there both more important and more difficult.

Report: Charitable Giving in U.S. Continues Decline in 2009
Article Recently released figures by Giving USA Foundation show that charitable giving in the United States dropped from nearly $316 billion in 2008 to $304 billion in 2009, a 3.6 percent decline in current dollars.

Asian Countries See Growth in Philanthropists
Article New data indicates that India, China and other countries in Asia are seeing a significant increase in wealthy philanthropists, according to a recent article in the Financial Times.

Ross-CASE Survey Shows Growth in Giving to UK Schools
Article UK universities secured more than £0.5 billion in charitable donations in the academic year 2008-09.

Research that U.K. Fundraisers Would Like to See Conducted
CURRENTS Article This chart shows the results of a recent survey in which U.K. fundraisers were asked which topics they'd like to see more research performed. The No. 1 topic was "identification of new segments of society that would be likely to give."

Onward and Upward
CURRENTS Article The vice president of development of the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts reports on new efforts at his institution and others to cultivate more gifts from midlevel donors as leadership gifts have become more scarce during the recession.

Treasure Chase
CURRENTS Article Advancement leaders from around the country and the world acknowledge the downturn in mega gifts to education during the Great Recession and discuss the best strategies for dealing with the new economy.

Outlook: Climbing the Ladder of Generosity
CURRENTS Article In the end we are not measured by what we have, but by what we give to one another.

VSE Survey Shows Sharp Drop in 2009 Giving to U.S. Colleges, Universities
Article Charitable contributions to colleges and universities in the United States declined 11.9 percent to $27.85 billion, an indication that the impact of the recession on donors and the institutions they support was “even greater than anticipated,” according to CASE President John Lippincott.

Advance Work: Dipping Donations
CURRENTS Article Charitable giving in the U.K. was down in fiscal year 2009 by 11 percent.

Preparando el Terreno
CURRENTS Article Existen menos de veinte escuelas y universidades en Estados Unidos en las que al menos la mitad de sus ex alumnos contribuya financieramente con su alma máter en un año determinado. Y la tendencia va a la baja, no al alza. ¿Por qué sucede esto? ¿Se pueden permitir las instituciones que esta situación continúe?

Survey: U.S. Education Fundraisers Predict Growth in Giving for 2010
Article Fundraisers for U.S. schools, colleges and universities predict that giving will increase 3.7 percent during 2010, according to survey results released today by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. For 2009, the CASE Fundraising Index estimates that giving declined less than 1 percent from the previous year.

Odds & Ends: Natural Leader
CURRENTS Article In a short interview, Burt's Bees CEO John Replogle discusses sustainability and philanthropy.

Advance Work: The Habit of Giving
CURRENTS Article Researchers find that alumni who gave regularly in their first five years out gave on average eight times more in the long run than those who donated the same amount in the first five years but did not make a steady habit of it.

UK Higher Education Institutions Receive Most Million-Pound Donations
Article Higher education receives the highest portion of million-pound gifts than any other charity sector in the United Kingdom, according to a recently released report.

Ross-CASE Survey Shows Increased Higher Ed Giving Prior to Worst of the Recession
Article Giving to universities in the United Kingdom grew by 28 percent to £682 million in 2007-2008, according to the Ross-CASE Survey.

The Coutts Million Pound Donors Report 2009
Coutts & Co. in association with The Centre for Philanthropy, Humanitarianism and Social Justice, University of Kent
Report This November 2009 report analyzes 189 donations of at least £1 million made by UK donors or to UK charities in 2007/08, with a combined value of £1.4 billion. It also discusses the scale and impact of these gifts and trends in major giving at this level. A noteworthy finding for CASE members: of donations that went directly to causes and beneficiaries, the most popular destination was once again higher education institutions, which received 56 donations worth £1 million or more (up from 45 in 2006/07), accounting for 39% of the total value of distributed million pound donations.

Study Proves Personal Ask is Most Effective
Article Donors to charitable organizations give more when they are asked in person and when someone they know makes the request, according to a new study conducted by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Advance Work: 'Altruism is Sexy'
CURRENTS Article A study by evolutionary psychologists at the University of Kent found that men give more in the presence of attractive women. Another study by the same researchers found that women rate generous men as more attractive.

Advance Work: Donation Dollars and Sense
CURRENTS Article Has philanthropy really changed because of the economy?

UK Giving 2009: An Overview of Charitable Giving in the UK, 2008/09
Charities Aid Foundation and National Council for Voluntary Organisations
Report The fifth edition of an annual publication, this September 2009 report shows that while over half of adults in the UK continue to donate to charity, the overall amount given declined by 11 percent from the previous year. In addition, the report provides details about who gives, the causes donors support and the methods they use to donate.

Reaching for the Top
CURRENTS Article Author Elizabeth Harvey, a major gift officer at Mills College, surveys eight small and medium-sized colleges and universities to discover how the institutions are scaling the very top of their giving pyramids.

Report Says Confidence in U.S. Charitable Giving Climate Continues to Decline
Article Confidence in the U.S. fundraising climate continued to decline in the first half of 2009, according to the latest national survey of nonprofit fundraisers by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

CASE Europe Survey Shows Decline in Major Gifts but Improved Recruitment
Article More than 50 percent of development professionals say they are seeing a slowdown in major gift giving as a result of the recession, according to a recent CASE Europe survey.

A Big Benchmark: Lifetime Giving
Article Data mining gurus Peter Wylie and John Sammis have just released a report that tackles a big topic: “Benchmarking Lifetime Giving in Higher Education.”

CASE Fundraising Index Predicts Nearly 4 Percent Decline in 2008-09 Modest Growth in 2009-10
Article Educational fundraisers will likely see an average decline in giving of 3.9 percent for the 2008-09 academic year, according to the CASE Fundraising Index, a biannual forecasting tool.

Crunching the Numbers
CURRENTS Article In this story, CASE Senior Director of Research Chris Thompson demonstrates how to analyze the data in the annual Voluntary Support of Education survey in order to compare your institution's alumni fundraising with national averages for peer institutions.

Cultivating Your Crop
CURRENTS Article There are fewer than 20 colleges and universities in the United States in which at least half of the alumni contribute financially to their alma mater in any given year. And this trend is headed downward, not up. Why is this the case, and can institutions afford to let it continue?

Advance Work: Pound Hound
CURRENTS Article A report chronicles for the first time the million-pound donations made in the United Kingdom from January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2007.

着意耕耘，自有收获
CURRENTS Article 美国有不超过20所大学每年能获得半数以上的校友通过捐赠回馈母校。这个数字有待持续下滑，毫无上升的迹象。为什么会有这种趋势？大学能坐视这种情况持续恶化吗？

Cultiver Vos Terres
CURRENTS Article Moins de 20 établissements d’enseignement supérieur aux Etats-Unis bénéficient d’une contribution financière annuelle d’au moins 50% des anciens.Et cette tendance est à la baisse. Pourquoi ? Nos institutions peuvent-elles se permettre de laisser ce phénomène continuer?

Philanthropy at Independent Schools
Product This revised and expanded book covers what development officers, school heads, fundraising volunteers and trustees need to know about fundraising at independent schools, from setting up a development office to asking for major gifts. Topics covered include the challenges of fundraising in the 21st century; approaching diverse constituencies; key relationships in a development program; alumni relations; communications and marketing; new technology in fund raising; writing for development; and international fund raising.

Giving Still a Priority for Many Despite Economy Woes
Article Recently released figures by Giving USA 2009 show that charitable giving in the United States remains an “integral part of the country’s economic fabric” despite the worst economic climate since the Great Depression.

Year of the Rat
CURRENTS Article Fundraising the Asian-Pacific region can be challenging. But navigating those challenges can reap huge rewards.

Building Blocks
CURRENTS Article Although European nations may seem similar, their approach to philanthropy is varied. Read how about a receding welfare state is forcing many countries to build their own philanthropic culture.

U.S. Institutions Must Address Impact of Immigrant Giving, Expert Says
Article The United States is experiencing a demographic shift that is likely to have a significant impact on fundraising and alumni relations at K-12 and higher education institutions.

Giving to U.S. Institutions Grows, But 2009 Outlook Dim
Article Donors expressed continued confidence in American colleges and universities during the 2007-2008 academic year by increasing their contributions 6.2 percent over the previous year.

Engaging Minority Alumni Strengthens Loyalty, Gifts
Article The reason more minority alumni don’t give to their alma maters is often as simple as this—they aren’t asked.

Bringing African Americans into Institutional Giving
Product This webinar discusses strategies to increase giving among alumni and potential major donors and talks about strategies that don’t work—and may even be offensive to African-American donors—and how to change them. This multimedia file is a recording of a webinar originally presented Feb. 19, 2009.

CASE Fundraising Tool Forecasts Slight Decline in Giving to Education in 2009
Article Giving to education in the United States is likely to decline slightly in the coming year, according to the CASE Fundraising Index, a biannual forecasting tool.

Advance Work: Millennial Motivations
CURRENTS Article Study shows that the Millennial generation are as philanthropically inclined as older generations.

A Match Made in Heaven
CURRENTS Article Many prospects acquire their wealth through their entrepreneurial ventures. Development officers can tap into this potential through the concept of angel investing--the opportunity for donors to start a new business, champion a cause, and be directly involved.

Advance Work: A Will to Give
CURRENTS Article If older alumni and donors are your bequest prospects, you might want to lower your age range, according to a recent report on the topic.

Closing Remarks: He Gave, She Gave
CURRENTS Article There have always been women philanthropists. Nowadays there are more of them, with more wealth. The author challenges the assumptions and sheds light on what the real differences are between female donors and male donors, and among women philanthropists.

Venture Philanthropy Nation
CURRENTS Article Venture philanthropy burst on the scene 10 years ago, went into hiberation after the dot-com bust, and is now reemerging--a little older, a lot wiser. This approach enables development officers to appeal to donors with wealth, a cause to champion, a desire to be involved, and an entrepreneurial bent.

Mapping the New World of American Philanthropy: Causes and Consequences of the Transfer of Wealth
Product This book examines the anticipated intergenerational transfer of wealth and its implications for philanthropy. Offers practical insights and strategies from the experienced wealth transfer leaders and practitioners. Includes hard-to-find data, graphs and charts.

The Baby Bloomers
CURRENTS Article As one branch of donors reaches maturity and falls away, another begins to grow. Development has never been more challenging as advancement officers try to cultivate Gen X and Gen Y donors--who have very different values, attitudes, and motivations toward philanthropy than their predecessors, the Baby Boomers, and from each other. This article tells what some campus advancement offices are doing to communicate, connect with, and engage these emerging generations.

Advance Work: Mind Served
CURRENTS Article The Minnesota Correctional Education Foundation raises money so that inmates in Minnesota prisons can take college courses. Fundraising for this foundation is not an easy task.

Philanthropy for Research
European Commission
Report In most European countries, with the exception of the UK, philanthropy does not focus on research. However, successful experiences show that philanthropy could help fund research, particularly in areas with important benefits for society such as health-related research. This page links to several European Commission reports and documents that support raising philanthropic dollars for research, including "Giving More for Research in Europe: the Role of Foundations and the Non-Profit Sector in Boosting R&D Investment" and "Engaging Philanthropy for University Research: Fundraising by Universities from Philanthropic Sources."

Cultivating Young Sprouts
CURRENTS Article Millennials are arriving on campuses with a strong sense of engagement and looking for ways to serve the community. They want to connect to something larger than themselves, but they either aren't receptive to fund-raising efforts or they feel their money can do more good at the grassroots level. Development professionals need to capitalize on their desire and get them involved in giving to their institutions while they're still undergraduates. One way is to foster communication and working relationships among development, alumni relations, and student affairs. The article describes several successful and creative cultivation and education programs at various institutions that take a collaborative approach.

Motive Operandi
CURRENTS Article Author Cindy Sterling conducted research concerning gender differences in planned giving at small liberal arts colleges in the Northeast. Among other things, Sterling quantifies the amounts and types of planned gifts women and men make, explains why women made their giving choices, and suggests strategies planned giving officers can use to strengthen their solicitation efforts. A sidebar identifies key planned giving terms with which all development officers should be familiar.

AdvanceWork: Rich in Spirit
CURRENTS Article According to the Catalogue for Philanthropy’s 2004 “Generosity Index,” Mississippi is the nation’s most generous state and New Hampshire is the least generous. The rankings are based on the Catalogue’s review of 2002 Internal Revenue Service personal income tax returns and subsequent ranking of each state’s average adjusted gross income and average itemized charitable contributions.

Talking Points: British Advancement Comes of Age
CURRENTS Article In May 2004, the UK government's Task Force on Voluntary Giving released "Increasing Voluntary Giving to Education," commonly referred to as the "Thomas Report." The report, which offers a road map for advancement in the UK for the next 10 years, is based on the premise that voluntary giving helps institutions achieve excellence and is not a substitute for public funding. The report examines, among other things, the giving culture in the UK and the United States. It also looks at how to create an asking institution and a giving culture and outlines 11 specific recommendations.

AdvanceWork: Less Is More
CURRENTS Article The NewTithing Group has reported that wealthier donors tend to give a smaller percentage of their total wealth to charitable interests. Its study of U.S. Internal Revenue Service tax filings for 2001 found that the "middle rich" and "upper middle class"--those making between $200,000 and $10 million annually--gave away less than 0.5 percent of their total wealth in 2001. Those making less than $200,000, meanwhile, gave an average 1 percent of their total wealth to charity.

AdvanceWork: Stars in Their Eyes
CURRENTS Article Alumni of historically black colleges and universities are giving to alma mater in increasing numbers; the average size of their gifts also is on the rise. In May, the Kresge Foundation’s HBCU Initiative held an event to celebrate this unprecedented growth in major gift philanthropy by noncelebrity HBCU alumni and to raise alumni awareness of giving.

The Lay of the Land
CURRENTS Article Education faces an increasingly complex philanthropic environment in which everything from record fuel prices to headline-grabbing accounts of malfeasance can affect what donors think and do. This article examines the political, economic, and social factors affecting giving today and education’s place in donors' priorities list. Trends include more competition for fewer donors; activist giving; new relationships with foundations; and more demands for accountability.

AdvanceWork: An EKG on Education Giving
CURRENTS Article Over the past 25 years, total voluntary support to higher education in the United States has increased more than 700 percent, from $3.04 billion in 1978 to $23.9 billion in 2003. A closer look at the Council for Aid to Education’s “Voluntary Support of Education Survey” reveals significant long-term gains in both alumni and foundation giving, despite the 14 percent drop in alumni giving that occurred in 2002.

Increasing Voluntary Giving to Higher Education: Task Force Report to Government
Report Often called the Thomas Report in reference to Eric Thomas' role as chair of the Task Force on Voluntary Giving to Higher Education, this key report from May 2004 sets forth the UK Government's proposals for building fundraising infrastructure and increasing voluntary giving to higher education.

AdvanceWork: The Other Campaign
CURRENTS Article New data allow the public to track giving to U.S. national political campaigns in greater detail than ever. As of February 2004, people who work in education had given more than $3.8 million to major party presidential candidates, with Republican President George W. Bush and Democrat Gov. Howard Dean neck-and-neck in fund raising from this sector.

AdvanceWork: Holding Steady
CURRENTS Article A spring 2003 survey of U.S. consumers revealed that the percentage who say they give to education remained constant at 27 percent from 2002 to 2003, a reassuring finding.

Creating a New Comfort Zone
CURRENTS Article University of Pennsylvania assistant professor Marybeth Gasman has devoted her professional life to researching issues pertaining to African-American philanthropy. This article explores the big-picture issues that all fund raisers need to understand to build mutually beneficial relationships with their black constituents.

Beyond Borders
CURRENTS Article Have fund raisers begun tailoring their appeals to minority major gift prospects, and to what effect? This piece shares the insights of consultants and development officers from predominantly white institutions who have enjoyed some success in cultivating black, Hispanic, and Asian donors.

AdvanceWork: Sitting Pretty
CURRENTS Article Affluent individuals require a minimum of $1 million to $10 million in assets to feel financially secure, according to the "Wealth & Values Survey 2003" conducted by Community Foundations of America and HNW. Major gifts officers must therefore work even harder to convince these prospects that they can afford to support charitable causes.

Fund Raising from Black-College Alumni: Successful Strategies for Supporting Alma Mater
Product "Fund Raising from Black-College Alumni" offers advice that institutional fund-raising practitioners can use to: Capitalize on powerful giving traditions established by the black church. Tap into the strong emotional bonds between alumni and their alma maters. Secure outside funding. Train staff on tight budgets.

AdvanceWork: Charity Begins at Work
CURRENTS Article In an effort to encourage more private sector philanthropy, in January 2003 the Australian Tax Office agreed to let workers make charitable donations through pretax payroll deductions. The program lets donors realize the benefits of giving immediately rather than after they file their taxes. This Advancework item is of interest to development and advancement services officers who want to develop giving incentives.

Closing Remarks: Crisis of Confidence
CURRENTS Article Three research reports--from the Brookings Institution’s Center for Public Service, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, and Independent Sector--indicate that public trust in the charitable sector is declining in the United States. The sector’s complacent reaction suggests a lack of willingness to deal with the problem or even conduct more rigorous research. To fortify public trust, the author suggests three basic strategies. This Closing Remarks column is of interest to advancement managers in all disciplines.

Cultivating Diversity in Fundraising
Product This book provides in-depth understanding of the philanthropic motivation of four racial/ethnic groups: African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans and Native Americans. The text is organized to provide an overview of each group's history and immigration patterns as well as cultural traditions and charitable and philanthropic practices.

Closing Remarks: Awakening the Philanthropic Spirit
CURRENTS Article Beney suggests that because higher education in the United Kingdom has been nearly free to students for many years, the population has grown to expect that the government will cover all costs. As that funding landscape changes, Beney encourages institutions to explain that philanthropy for education is not a new phenomenon in the UK, but rather an old and noble one that has become dormant and is in need of waking.

In Advance: What's Up? Giving to Education
CURRENTS Article Two reports show strong increases in education-related philanthropy