It makes headlines nearly every day: U.S. cities, counties, and states are grappling with record budget shortfalls. Given the economic climate, many higher education administrators recognize that their institutions need to be more vocal and creative in providing and promoting the value they bring to their communities--not just to hold on to existing funding but to fight attempts by local governments to extract new fees and payments. In many places, nonprofit institutions--primarily colleges and universities but hospitals and cultural organizations as well--are being asked to make voluntary contributions that are often referred to as "payments in lieu of taxes" (PILOTs), to help cover the cost of many of the public services these entities use, such as police and fire protection, sanitation, and street maintenance. Over the past decade, at least 117 municipalities in 18 states have pressed nonprofits to make voluntary payments, according to a recent study by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. Some institutions have been making voluntary payments for years, steadily increasing their contributions as the city's needs grow. Many colleges and universities are working on improving their communications and tooting their own horns, even if they face no immediate threat of a PILOT. Many institutions are turning to advertising, public relations efforts, even focus groups, to make their case. No matter the method they choose, the principles they are following are fundamentally the same.