IRF Update - September 30, 2011

Nominate a Foundation Leader for the CASE Commonfund Awards

Recognize the leadership of your foundation colleagues by nominating them for the 2011 CASE Commonfund Institutionally Related Foundation Awards.

The awards recognize individuals who have made valuable contributions through best practices, distinguished service and/or volunteer leadership to the foundation field. Senior leaders responsible for the day-to-day management of institutionally related foundations (CEOs, COOs, CFOs, counsels, etc.) are eligible to receive the award. View a list of past winners.

The deadline for nominations is Friday, Oct. 28, 2011. Nomination instructions are available on the CASE website. The awards will be presented at the 20th Annual CASE Conference for Institutionally Related Foundations, April 18-20, 2012, in Chicago, Ill.

The CASE Commonfund Institutionally Related Foundation Awards are supported by a gift from Commonfund.

President's Jobs Bill Includes Charitable Deduction Cap

The recently proposed American Jobs Act will be funded by reducing the value of itemized deductions, including the charitable deduction, for high-income taxpayers, according to the Obama Administration.

If enacted as is, the American Jobs Act would cap the value of the charitable deduction at a 28 percent rate for taxpayers earning more than $200,000 annually ($250,000 for married couples). Currently, the value of the charitable deduction for these taxpayers is equal to the marginal tax bracket (33 percent or 35 percent, depending on personal income). Reducing the value of the charitable deduction and other itemized deductions would raise $400 billion, funding almost the entire cost of President Obama's jobs bill.

It is unclear whether lawmakers will agree to enact a charitable deduction cap. CASE will continue to urge lawmakers to protect the value of the charitable deduction and will oppose any effort to reduce its value. See the CASE Public Policy page to read more about the proposal and CASE's position.

VSE Survey Seeks Submissions for Fiscal Year 2011 Survey

The deadline to complete the Voluntary Support of Education survey for fiscal year 2011 is Monday, Oct. 3.

The annual survey, which is conducted by the Council for Aid to Education and sponsored by CASE, provides information on private giving to higher education and independent K-12 schools in the United States.

The CASE Reporting Standards and Management Guidelines underpin the CAE survey, which has helped institutions benchmark their fundraising efforts for more than 40 years. CASE Member institutions participating in the survey are also automatically eligible for the CASE Educational Fundraising Awards.

For more information about the survey or to request a deadline extension, contact CAE's Ann Kaplan at vse@cae.org.

New CASE Campaign Report Reveals Impact of Recession on Giving, Other Stats

CASE has released its CASE Campaign Report 2010 featuring analysis of data from its annual survey of educational fundraising campaigns.

The 2010 report incorporates data from 128 North American educational institutions-public and private, large and small, post-secondary and pre-collegiate-that completed the survey for the 2009-10 fiscal year. The report provides insights into the effects of the recession and has more than 65 charts and figures that present data on size and length of campaigns, sources and destinations of funds and more.

The publication is the largest and most in-depth report about fundraising campaigns in educational institutions. It provides annual comparisons of campaign benchmarks and trends, such as the size of campaign goals, their length, sources of funds and staffing. Several new questions on campaign expectations, pledge fulfillments and reporting were added to the survey this year to get a better sense of the impact of the recession.

Interesting stats from the report include:

• The top 1 percent of donors in 2010 contributed 71 percent (median) of campaign funds raised.
• Staffing for campaigns was up with an average of 21 and a median of 10 staff members dedicated to fundraising compared to an average of 18.3 and a median of 7.5 in 2009.

A downloadable PDF of the report is available for $79 (member price). For more information, please email research@case.org.

Upcoming CASE OSS Program: Mobilizing a Volunteer Team for your Community College Annual Giving Campaign

Can a one- or two-person shop with a budget under $250 run a robust and brief annual fund appeal? Find out by registering for an Oct. 4 CASE Online Speakers Series program on mobilizing volunteers for a community college annual giving campaign. Learn how the Los Rios Community College District mobilized a group of volunteers to conduct a successful and fun annual fund campaign blitz. Sandra Kirschenmann, vice chancellor of resource development, and Tracy Newman, director of institutional advancement, at Los Rios Community College District will provide step-by-step advice and tips on how to run a successful small-shop appeal. The program will run from 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. EDT. Register on the CASE website.

Upcoming CASE OSS Program: Navigating State Charitable Solicitation Laws

Is your foundation complying with state charitable solicitation registration and reporting requirements? On Oct. 27 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., EDT, CASE will offer an Online Speaker Series program that will provide an overview of the application of state charitable solicitation laws to educational institutions and their institutionally related organizations (foundations, alumni associations, etc.). Charles M. "Chip" Watkins, attorney at Webster, Chamberlain & Bean and author of the CASE White Paper Application of Charitable Solicitation Registration Statutes to Tax-Exempt Educational Institutions and Related Organizations, will provide a state-by-state breakdown of the definitions, forms and other information pertinent to compliance with charitable solicitation laws. Jennifer Smith, assistant vice president and general counsel at the University of Iowa Foundation, will discuss how her foundation has managed the process of complying with complex state initial and ongoing registration requirements. Register on the CASE website.

Headlines

In a Year of Cuts, Some College Presidents Get a Raise
Stateline, Aug. 29, 2011
While most states continue to cut funds to higher education, some college and university presidents are receiving salary increases. A plan by the Utah Board of Regents to raise the salaries of presidents in the state university system has been criticized by state legislators. The Utah regents argue that salaries are well-below the national average, making it difficult to recruit and retain administrators.
Full Article 

The Graying Presidency 
Chronicle of Higher Education, Sept. 25, 2011
Many colleges do a poor job of preparing for succession planning and presidential transitions. Most presidential retirements are unplanned events, and faculty and staff often view "presidents-in-waiting" with suspicion. Many college and university presidents are expected to retire in the coming years.
Full Article (subscription required)

Harvard Reports Big Gains on Investments  
Boston Globe, Sept. 23, 2011
Harvard University's endowment had an investment return of 21.4 percent in FY2011. The school's endowment now totals around $32 billion.
Full Article 

Universities Seeking Out Students of Means

New York Times, Sept. 21, 2011
An Inside Higher Ed survey found that many colleges and university admissions officers are working harder to recruit students who can pay full tuition. Almost a quarter of admissions directors who responded to the survey said they felt pressure from development officers to admit certain applicants. Colleges are also recruiting more out-of-state and international students
Full Article 

Moody's Sees Decline in Downgrades Despite Rocky Economy
Chronicle of Higher Education, Sept. 20, 2011
Though the economy remains shaky, Moody's expects to downgrade the credit ratings of fewer colleges and universities in 2011. This year, 13 of the 17 schools that have been downgraded by the firm are private institutions. While downgrades have seen a decline, downgrades still far outpace upgrades in the credit ratings of colleges and universities. Only five institutions have seen upgrades in 2011.
Full Article (subscription required)

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Contact Brian Flahaven, director of legislative, foundation and recognition programs, at flahaven@case.org.