The objectives of nonprofit managers are not immediately apparent. Indeed, nonprofits may seek to maximize their level of service or their budgets, or they may have undefined or unstable objectives. This paper presents a theoretical model of managerial objectives that yields testable hypotheses, which I test using 2001 data on 190,000 American…

As public community colleges continue to face constrained budgets and restricted state support, they must maximize their pursuit of philanthropic support and the performance of the foundations established at their institutions for this purpose. In a recent study, community college resource development professionals nationwide were surveyed…

There are many variables that influence alumni giving at colleges and universities. A growing body of research is revealing new knowledge about factors related to individual donors, fund-raising practices, and the external environment. However, relatively little attention has been given to basic institutional characteristics that may impact alumni…

Gallaudet University, originally chartered by the US Congress as the Columbia Institute for the Deaf and Dumb and Blind in 1864, recently began to solicit donations from their alumni through formal fund-raising campaigns. Using a combination of historical and qualitative analysis coupled with descriptive statistics from institutional data and the…

On June 16, 2004, the College of Human Ecology (CHE), University of Minnesota partnered with a Twin Cities community service agency to host an event that raised awareness of domestic violence and also raised funds. "The Sheila Shawl Extravaganza," was a celebration of Sheila Wellstone's life (she was the wife of Minnesota senator Paul…

Tom Mauriello knows how to build profitable relationships. As vice president of Development at New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), Mauriello and his team have driven annual giving to the college 80 percent higher since the 2003-2004 academic year. Moreover, NYIT's contributor base has increased 21 percent since that time. What's the secret to…

In recent years, both Harvard and Oxford Universities have been rattled by reform-minded--some say brash--leaders determined to question the status quo. At Harvard, President Lawrence H. Summers proved too controversial for his own good and is scheduled to step down this month after five contentious years in office. But at Oxford, John Hood, who…

This fact sheet explores volunteering among high school students, ages 16-18. Overall, volunteering among high school students was down slightly in 2006 as compared to 2005. Additional information includes types of volunteer organizations and activities, and ways that high school students become involved in these activities. Volunteer rate vary by…

This publication is part of a series of tools and resources on financing and sustaining youth programming. These tools and resources are intended to assist policy makers, program developers and community leaders in developing innovative strategies for implementing, financing and sustaining effective programs and policies. This brief highlights six…

India is increasingly showing up on the travel schedules of college presidents nationwide. Like American corporations that began coming to India more than a decade ago to tap the brain power of its millions of inexpensive, well-educated engineers, software writers, and medical technicians, American higher-education institutions are flocking here…

In an era of increased need and steadily dwindling public dollars, community college leaders are adopting a new way of thinking when it comes to fundraising. The author discusses how community college leaders are turning bold ideas into money-making propositions for their schools. One of the most effective ways colleges can bring in resources is…

This paper provides senior leadership teams with a body of literature that will guide the development of "fund-raising strategy" and provides an "interdisciplinary" context for understanding "donor motives". Consideration of these "theoretical foundations" can help shape the fund-raising philosophy of the institution. These perspectives also have…

This study aimed to learn more of the differences that may exist between the two most powerful groups of donors today, baby boomers (40-58 years old) and mature donors (59 and older), in an effort to help organizations improve fundraising efforts. Questions about the importance of organizational efficiency, program outcomes, and the desire for…

Understanding educational advancement is important both for institutions, which increasing rely on its revenues, as well as professionals. This paper examines the knowledge base present in 241 doctoral dissertations on advancement, 1991-2006. Most dissertations are produced in education departments, using fundraising/philanthropy as a framework.…

Although most people approach asking for donations with a high level of anxiety, $129.9 billion dollars were donated by individuals, bequests, corporations, and foundations in 1994. While corporation and foundation gifts are usually in cash, individual gifts may take the form of money, securities and real estate, art works, life insurance, or…