Resilience and Generosity: Philanthropy Powers UK & Ireland Higher Education
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) today published the 2023–24 edition of CASE Insights℠ on Philanthropy (United Kingdom and Ireland). In a period marked by economic uncertainty and shifting donor priorities, 83 institutions contributed data, together securing £1.52 billion in new funds committed, the largest sum ever achieved. For those institutions that have taken part each year for the past five years, total new funds rose by 13.7 per cent compared with 2022–23. However, across the past five years, while total new funds committed rose, the median fell. These contrasting figures illustrate both the strength and the pressure on the sector: headline-grabbing large gifts alongside numerous donations that sustain daily operations.
“Attending university opened up a whole world of possibilities for me. So many of the positives in my life can be traced back to my university experience. I know how fortunate I was to have had that opportunity, and I feel a responsibility to help others in similar situations.
I truly believe education is the great equaliser—if we can support determined, motivated students, they will go on to do wonderful things in the world.” says Dr. Gillian Cannon, a generous supporter of Newcastle University.
CASE Insights on Philanthropy (United Kingdom and Ireland) is the leading survey for tracking philanthropic support to higher education across the region. Serving as a guide for advancement professionals, it provides vital benchmarking data, enabling institutions to understand giving patterns and adjust strategies accordingly.
“Despite the challenging landscape, higher education institutions across the UK and Ireland raised £1.52 billion in new funds last year,” says Sue Cunningham, President and CEO of CASE. “Trusts and foundations contributed 44.9 per cent of that total, and alumni gifts made up 24.3 per cent. When considering the donors themselves, it is the graduates who remain the backbone of the fundraising efforts: nearly 70 per cent of donors are alumni. Their ongoing support, advocacy, and ambassadorship are essential to institutional resilience.”
However, not all indicators are on the rise. Among the cohort of institutions participating over the last five years, overall donor participation fell by 5.1 per cent this year. “A decrease in donor numbers is a clear reminder that institutions must redouble their efforts to connect with every potential supporter, especially alumni,” Cunningham adds. “By fostering genuine, long-lasting relationships—whether through tailored communications, volunteer and mentoring opportunities, or inviting alumni to help shape institutional priorities—we ensure that our universities and colleges continue to drive cutting-edge research, expand access, and foster social innovation. This can become more challenging with turnover or reductions in development staffing.”
Sustaining and growing philanthropic support requires well-resourced advancement teams with expertise across multiple disciplines. In 2023–24, institutions allocated roughly half of their advancement budgets to fundraising, with the remainder split between alumni relations and development services. While securing major gifts remains crucial, investing across all areas of advancement ensures institutions can both gather the robust data needed for this survey and craft compelling narratives that inspire continued giving.
CASE extends its sincere thanks to every institution that contributed data. Your participation is what makes this benchmarking possible and strengthens the CASE community. We encourage both returning and new participants to join us again when the survey reopens in the next academic year. Together, we will keep celebrating generosity, strengthening alumni ties, and championing the transformative power of higher education throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The full 2023–24 report can be downloaded from the CASE Insights on Philanthropy (United Kingdom and Ireland) webpage today.
About CASE
CASE—the Council for Advancement and Support of Education—is a global, not-for-profit membership association with a vision to advance education to transform lives and society.
CASE is the home for advancement professionals, inspiring, challenging, and equipping them to act effectively and with integrity to champion the success of their institutions. CASE defines the competencies and standards for the profession of advancement, leading, and championing their dissemination and application with more than 97,000 advancement professionals at 3,100 member institutions in 80 countries.
Broad and growing communities of professionals gather under the global CASE umbrella. Currently these include alumni relations, development services, communications, fundraising, government relations, and marketing. These professionals are at all stages of their careers and may be working in universities, schools, colleges, cultural institutions, or other not-for-profits. CASE uses the intellectual capital and professional talents of a community of international volunteers to advance its work, and its membership includes many educational partners who work closely with the educational sector.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., CASE works across all continents from its regional offices in London, Singapore, and Mexico City to achieve a seamless experience for all its stakeholders, particularly its members, volunteers, and staff.