The new committee members are:

• Robert Fischman, chief financial officer, University of South Florida Foundation
• Virginia Foltz, vice president of financial services, CFO & treasurer, Arizona State University Foundation, and
• Geraldine Gallagher, president and CEO, Valencia Foundation

Fischman, Foltz and Gallagher will join 15 other foundation executives on the leadership committee.

The National Committee also said farewell to Chair Leonard Raley, president and CEO of the University System of Maryland Foundation, and Kelly Zúñiga, executive director of the Houston Community College Foundation. CASE thanks Leonard and Kelly for their service and continued commitment to the IRF field. Tiffani Shaw, executive vice president and COO at the University of Iowa Foundation, is the new chair of the committee.

The National Committee for Institutionally Related Foundations provides leadership and guidance on issues of concern to institutionally related foundations and the public colleges and universities they serve. The committee also supports the development of resources, programs and services for professionals within the foundation community. View the full committee roster.

If you would like to be considered for future service on the IRF National Committee, please contact Brian Flahaven, CASE's director of government relations and institutionally related foundations, at flahaven@case.org or 202-478-5617.

July CFI Reports 4.7 Percent Increase in Giving in 2010-11

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 by CASE.

The CASE Fundraising Index, or CFI, is conducted twice annually. It asks fundraising professionals at U.S. schools, colleges and universities to estimate the level of charitable giving to their institutions for the 12-month period just ended and to predict the level for the 12-months ahead.

For the 2010-11 academic year, there was a significant difference between estimates offered by public and private institutions of higher education. Fundraisers at public colleges and universities estimated that giving to their institutions increased by 2.6 percent, while their private counterparts estimated that giving had increased 5.7 percent over the previous year.

Looking forward to the 2011-12 academic year, fundraisers at independent elementary and secondary schools in the survey were less optimistic than their higher education counterparts, estimating 3.2 percent growth.

The CFI is based on an online survey of senior-level fundraising professionals at more than 2,100 member institutions in the United States conducted during the first two weeks of July. The July 2011 CFI survey had a response rate of 8.3 percent. View the results of the CFI since its inception in July 2008.

CASE, Nonprofit Coalition Urge Lawmakers to Protect the Value of the Charitable Deduction

CASE and 22 other nonprofit associations and organizations have sent a joint letter (pdf) to the U.S. House and Senate leadership urging lawmakers to protect the value of the charitable deduction by opposing efforts to cap the value of itemized deductions for charitable contributions.

Headlines

Corporate Giving Slow to Recover as Economy Remains Shaky
Chronicle of Philanthropy, July 24, 2011
A Chronicle of Philanthropy survey of 180 businesses found that corporate giving will likely remain flat in 2011 as companies grapple with the fragile economic recovery. Cash donations by corporations grew by 13 percent in 2010 after a decline of 7.5 percent in 2009. One expert believes it that it will take until at least 2013 before companies are back to pre-recession levels of giving.
Full Article (subscription required)

All But Elite Colleges Could See Impact from Federal Default, Moody's Warns
Chronicle of Higher Education, July 14, 2011
Moody's Investor Services is warning that a vast majority of colleges and universities could see their credit ratings decline if the U.S. government defaults. President Obama and congressional leaders are currently trying to negotiate a deal that would allow the federal government to continue borrowing money. Small to mid-size institutions particularly reliant on federal money (Pell grants, research dollars, etc.) will be most at risk of a downgrade, according to Moody's.
Full Article (subscription required) 

Coming this Fall: Big Tuition Hikes
Stateline, July 13, 2011
Students in a number of states will see double-digit tuition hikes as a result of state funding cuts to higher education. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, at least half of the states cut funding for higher education in their most recent legislative session. Higher education is often easier for lawmakers to cut because institutions can generate revenue of their own through tuition increases.
Full Article

The Bonus Factor
Inside Higher Ed, July 6, 2011
The 2011 CASE Compensation Survey found that 13.4 percent of fundraisers at educational institutions are eligible for bonuses. Most bonuses are based on individual achievement of specific performance outcomes or overall merit. The survey also includes data on professionals working in alumni relations, communications and marketing and advancement services.
Full Article