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    2. CASE Awards

    2020 Educational Fundraising Award Winners

    Year: 2020
    Award: Educational Fundraising Awards

    Read the news release about the 2020 awards >

    Sustained Excellence Awards

    Claremont McKenna College
    Dartmouth College

    Davidson College
    Delta College
    George Mason University
    Harvard University
    Phillips Exeter Academy
    Thacher School
    The Madeira School
    University of California, Berkeley
    University of California, Santa Barbara Foundation

    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    University of Texas at Austin
    University of Virginia
    Walla Walla University
    Woodberry Forest School

    First-time Winners

    Air Force Academy Foundation
    California State University, East Bay
    Central Michigan University
    Colby-Sawyer College
    Concordia College
    Drury University
    Genesee Community College
    Geneva College
    Hamline University
    Honolulu Community College 
    Hood College
    Ithaca College
    Jefferson Community and Technical College
    Kapiolani Community College
    Lewis & Clark College
    Maryville College
    Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
    North Shore Community College
    Norwich University
    Nova Southeastern University 
    Rice University
    Rockhurst University
    San Francisco State University
    Shenandoah University
    Southwest Minnesota State University
    Trinity Valley Community College
    Tulsa Community College
    University of Delaware
    University of Mount Union
    University of Utah
    William Jewell College 

    Winners by Category

    Awards for Excellence

    Endowments under $25 million
    Berkeley Preparatory School (FL)
    The Gunnery School (CT)

    Endowments Between $25 Million and $50 Million
    Tabor Academy (MA)
    The Webb Schools (CA)

    Endowments Between $50 Million and $75 Million
    The Madeira School (VA)

    Endowments Between $75 Million and $125 Million
    Cate School (CA)

    Endowments Between $125 Million and $250 Million
    Thacher School (CA)

    Endowments Between $250 Million and $400 Million
    Woodberry Forest School (VA)

    Endowments Over $400 Million
    Phillips Exeter Academy (NH)

    Endowments Under $740 Million

    Overall Performance
    Drake University (IA)
    Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY)
    University of Detroit Mercy (MI)

    Overall Improvement
    Nova Southeastern University (FL)
    Seattle University (WA)
    Shenandoah University (VA)

    Endowments Over $740 Million 

    Overall Performance
    Johns Hopkins University (MD)
    Yale University (CT)
    Harvard University (MA)

    Overall Improvement
    Dartmouth College (NH)
    Emory University (GA)
    Rice University (TX)

    Endowments Under $215 Million

    Overall Performance
    Boise State University (IA)
    Bowling Green State University (OH)
    Louisiana Tech University Foundation (LA)
    Missouri University of Science & Technology (MO)
    George Mason University (VA)

    Overall Improvement
    Michigan Technological University (MI)
    University of Central Florida (FL)
    University of Missouri - St. Louis (MO)
    Central Michigan University (MI)

    Endowments Over $215 Million

    Overall Performance
    University of Oregon (OR)
    Washington State University (WA)
    University of California, Berkeley (CA)
    University of California, Santa Barbara Foundation (CA)
    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC)

    Overall Improvement
    Mississippi State University (MS)
    University of Arkansas (AR)
    University of Texas at Dallas (TX)
    University of Delaware (DE)
    University of Montana Foundation (MT)

    Overall Performance
    University of Utah (UT)
    University of Virginia (VA)

    Overall Improvement
    Stony Brook University - SUNY (NY)
    University of Texas at Austin (TX)

    Endowments Under $80 Million

    Overall Performance
    University of Tampa (FL)
    Walla Walla University (WA)
    Geneva College (PA)

    Overall Improvement
    Jacksonville University (FL)
    Rockhurst University (MO)

    Endowments Over $80 Million

    Overall Performance
    Xavier University (OH)
    Hood College (MD)
    Norwich University (VT)

    Overall Improvement
    Drury University (MO)
    Hamline University (MN)
    Ithaca College (NY)

    Endowments Under $45 Million

    Overall Performance
    University of Southern Maine (ME)
    Southwest Minnesota State University (MN)
    California University of Pennsylvania (PA)

    Overall Improvement
    California State University, San Marcos (CA)
    California State University, East Bay (CA)
    California University of Pennsylvania (PA)
    University of Southern Maine (ME)

    Endowments Over $45 Million

    Overall Performance
    Angelo State University (TX)
    Appalachian State University (NC)
    James Madison University (VA)
    CUNY Hunter College (NY)

    Overall Improvement
    Grand Valley State University (MI)
    Tarleton State University (TX)
    San Francisco State University (CA)

    Endowments Under $150 Million

    Overall Performance
    Bennington College (VT)
    Concordia College (MN)
    Loras College (IA)
    Maryville College (TN)
    William Jewell College (MO)
     

    Overall Improvement
    Catawba College (NC)
    Grove City College (PA)
    Westminster College (PA)
    Colby-Sawyer College (NH)
    University of Mount Union (OH)

    Endowments Over $150 Million

    Overall Performance
    Amherst College (MA)
    Berea College (KY)
    Claremont McKenna College (CA)
    Davidson College (NC)

    Overall Improvement
    Claremont McKenna College (CA)
    Lewis & Clark College (OR)
    Middlebury College (VT)
    Vassar College (NY)

    Overall Performance
    Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MA)
    Air Force Academy Foundation (CO)

    Overall Improvement
    University of Maine at Farmington (ME)
    Morrisville State College (NY)

    Overall Performance
    Union Presbyterian Seminary (VA)

    Overall Improvement
    Union Presbyterian Seminary (VA)

    Overall Performance
    University of California, San Francisco (CA)

    Overall Improvement
    University of North Carolina School of the Arts (NC)

    Endowments Under $8 Million

    Overall Performance
    Genesee Community College (NY)
    Kapiolani Community College (HI)
     

    Overall Improvement
    West Kentucky Community & Technical College (KY)
    North Shore Community College (MA)
    Trinity Valley Community College (TX)
    Honolulu Community College (HI)
    Jefferson Community and Technical College (KY)

    Endowments Over $8 Million

    Overall Performance
    Clark College (WA)
    Tyler Junior College (TX)
    Delta College (MI)

    Overall Improvement
    Clark College (WA)
    Community College of Allegheny County (PA)
    Tulsa Community College (OK)

    From the Judges (Higher Education)

    When reviewing the data from the CASE VSE Survey, we look for much more than the total amount of funds raised. Breadth and depth matters. We also look for institutions that “punch above their weight”--institutions that rank lower in their categories like budgets and enrollment, but who rank higher in terms of funds raised in various categories, such as funds raised per FTE enrollment.

    We were delighted to see a growing number of institutions across all higher education sectors being recognized for the first time this year.  To us, that speaks to additional support for advancement at institutions, along with the recognition that development can help to address pressing revenue needs.  Recipients came from across the United States, with the West Coast continuing to impress for the sheer number of recipients across the board.

    Among the trends we noticed in this year’s judging was an increase in support from donor advised funds. While this has been a trend for several years now, this year's numbers were particularly impressive. Most of the categories were extremely competitive. That was especially true in the community college sector, where the number of institutions that made the preliminary cut was high enough that we divided the group into two categories for the first time ever.

    We also noted that alumni participation, with a few notable exceptions, continues to decline, yet the amount of money given by alumni continues to increase. This trend has held steady for the last several years, leading us to believe it is time to revisit how much weight we give to alumni participation in determining high-performing programs. 

    Finally, the numbers across all sectors were very strong this year, leaving us to ponder how significantly the impact of COVID-19 will curb such great momentum.  

     

    From the Judges (Independent Schools)

    As we look back to school year 2019-2020, the importance of philanthropy for the financial sustainability of our schools was for the most part dependent on highly productive and efficient advancement programs. Fundraising success is measured by many variables, not only by which schools raise the most money. Today, as we are recognizing those schools who have evidenced exceptional advancement programs, we are reminded of the importance of the community that supports our schools.

    The CASE Voluntary Support of Education survey provides many different data points for measuring a school’s fundraising program over a three-year period.  Thank you to all of the schools that submit data, providing useful comparisons for improving all independent school development programs.

    Again, this year we recognize schools that showed not just measurable growth in dollars raised, but also breadth and depth in terms of diversity of sources from which funds were raised. Among the many variables, we looked carefully at results on a per-student basis. Each cohort (by endowment size) was very competitive.

    Among the trends we noticed in this year’s judging was a general increase in gifts for current operations and gifts for endowment from parents and alumni across all categories. We also noted that alumni participation and the number of alumni donors continues to decline, although the amount of money given by alumni continues to increase. This trend has held steady for the last several years, and requires examination.

    In showcasing these best-of-the-best programs, CASE helps its members identify schools that excel in their outcomes, and do so efficiently so that we can all learn from their best practices. We encourage and highly recommend that you submit your own school’s information next year and spend some time in the CASE VSE Data Miner to dive into details about what makes these programs worthy of recognition. As we move forward and hopefully through this pandemic with the attention needed to create more equitable communities, we should turn to each other more often for sharing ideas and new practices.

    About the Awards

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