Building a successful University fundraising program starts by creating a strong pipeline of major gift donors. This action research project aims to improve the qualification process effectiveness and efficiency by understanding the most valuable indicators and internal perspectives within the data to implement innovative changes. A quantitative…

With its unique perspective, this phenomenological study focused on the challenges college presidents face in fundraising at Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) institutions of higher education. As financial pressures grew, fundraising became a central responsibility for presidents, particularly in faith-based institutions where…

This dissertation examines the purposes of annual giving fundraising programs at public higher education institutions, particularly whether this fundraising format supports the advancement of education as a public good versus a private benefit good. While research exists on large-gift philanthropy and major gift fundraising at colleges and…

This study explored the drivers for Long Beach City College alumni, a 2-year California community college (CCC), to engage with and donate to their alma mater. Due to the widespread decline in enrollment post-COVID-19 pandemic, institutions face increasing financial insecurity. They must now explore new funding streams. By modeling the success of…

In this paper, we focused on the decade of philanthropic funding before the current increase in philanthropy to HSIs (2006/2018). We offered a descriptive overview detailing which philanthropic foundations have provided the largest share of support, the HSIs receiving these gifts, and the areas of focus targeted by these donations. We contributed…

Intercollegiate athletics and fundraising expectations, at institutions of higher education, continue to increase and the pressure on athletic fundraisers has never been greater. There has been little study on the effects of organization structure and design and its effect on fundraisers that work to raise funds for the athletic department. This…

Crowdfunding in research refers to raising funds by scientists for various research related tasks using crowdfunding platforms. In spite of growing academic interest, there is still a lack of understanding of the various aspects of the above concept. In particular, identification of antecedents, consequences, and limitations is important in…

This study explored foundation giving in the field of higher education philanthropy in Texas. Utilizing Fligstein and McAdam's conceptual framework, I found that a field-level analysis at the state level uncovered distinct profiles or groups of foundations hidden in the observed data over time. Texas was an interesting case because of its legal…

This study investigates the relationship between social media engagement and alumni giving, focusing on its contemporary relevance within Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The purpose of the study was to explore alumni perceptions of various social media activities and examine differences based on education level and alumni…

The NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments (NCSE) for fiscal year 2023 marks the 50th consecutive year that NACUBO has published a Study of the endowments of institutions of higher learning. It would not be an overstatement to say that the Study chronicled five decades of unparalleled change. The investment industry and endowment management have…

Colleges and universities have increasingly turned to fundraising as an opportunity to meet short- and long-term goals of the institution without increasing tuition and adding to the student loan burden. As a result, there is increased competition among institutions and non-profits to appeal to the motivations of donors to support their…

Due to ongoing financial cuts and budget restraints, community colleges have turned to alumni association fundraising to support their mission and advance their institution. Fundraising for any organization is challenging, but community college alumni institutions have a more difficult time than their university counterparts in recruiting alumni…

Turnover and the existing "revolving door" effect is a prevalent aspect of higher education fundraising roles, and retention and recruitment of productive fundraisers and development staff is a challenging task. Although there are several reasons why fundraisers might leave a position (salary, title, location), one area that is a…

All higher education institutions have concerns about their fiscal health, and many have engaged in fundraising practices to augment and supplement other sources of revenue. Community colleges have been slower than their 4-year counterparts to engage in fundraising. Despite enrolling almost half of all students in postsecondary education, they…

The literature on charitable contributions to higher education focuses overwhelmingly on why donors give. This study aims to understand the monetary choice of a contribution, specifically what factors are linked to higher/lower donations. The current research employs the brand communities framework to analyze the role of the strength of the bonds…