New research released by CASE shows that alumni giving in the United States rose by nearly 7% in fiscal 2018 (the 2017-18 academic year), while at the same time, overall fundraising for colleges and universities in the United Kingdom and Ireland topped rose by 11% to top £1 billion (US $1.3 billion).

The new “Trends in Annual Giving” report, part of the Voluntary Support of Education survey, shows that alumni contributed $12.15 billion — about 26% — of the $46.73 billion raised by U.S. colleges and universities. Much of this growth has been for capital purpose gifts, which go to endowment, property, buildings, equipment, and loan funds.

But alumni still funnel 59% of their donations to support their alma mater’s current operations. The most important areas when alumni designate their gifts? Academic divisions, athletics, student financial aid, and research. Alumni are far more likely than donors on a whole to channel restricted gifts to athletics; 24% of restricted gifts from alumni are earmarked for athletics vs. 8% of all donors.

“Giving to Excellence: Philanthropic Support for Higher Education,” the annual Ross-CASE survey on the state of university fundraising in the U.K. and Ireland, shows that universities raised more than £1 billion in 2017-18, following a dip in donations the previous year. Total new funds raised grew 11% from £979 million the previous year to £1.08 billion. Forty percent came from organizations, including companies, trusts, and foundations, and 60% was raised from individuals.

The record amount of charitable contributions to the 100 universities that responded to the survey shows the continuing growth in philanthropic investment across the region. For the first time, a university raised more than £300 million in a single year. And the number of universities other than those in the Oxbridge system now raising £5 million a year has nearly doubled over the past decade, from 17 to 31. At the same time, however, the number of institutions raising more than £10m fell slightly for the first time in the last five years.

The report documents a growing trend in giving, from £350 secured in 2004-5 by 75 institutions to the to £1.08 billion raised by 100 universities in the latest survey. Over the last year, the total number of donors grew by 2%, but at the same time, the number of alumni donors dropped by 2%. Among the 10.7 million contactable alumni, 1.3% donated in 2017-18.