In the past five years there has been an increase in online news stories, all asking a somewhat similar question that can be paraphrased as, "Why are billionaires funding colleges and universities?" On its surface, the question appears harmless: billionaires presumably receive nothing by giving their money to institutions of higher…

This paper examines how colleges respond to the introduction of broad merit aid programs. Previous research has emphasized the impact of merit aid on enrollment, student choices, and post-matriculation outcomes. Yet much less is known about how state-implemented merit aid programs affect colleges' financial decisions. To explore impacts, college…

This research seeks to describe the continuing predicament of R&D funding in the U.S. and to provide support for a return to higher R&D spending as a proportion of GDP to maintain American leadership in innovation. Historically, government investment has funded most foundational scientific research leading to technological advances in…

These tables present data from four administrations of the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (2003-04, 2007-08, 2011-12, and 2015-16) showing trends in how graduate students financed their education. Data include the demographic attributes and academic characteristics of graduate students and the average price of attendance for the programs…

Various determinants have been found to explain the donor status and giving levels of college alumni. Limited research exists on what motivates college alumni to give repeated donations to a higher education institution. The purpose of this study was to determine if commitment and trust significantly related to higher education institutions…

This dissertation consists of an interpretive, bounded case study conducted at the University of Chicago, a selective private research institution with a Division III athletics program. At selective institutions, alumni-athletes represent a crucial fundraising source for the athletics department. Research suggests that the level of identity to…

The Voluntary Support of Education (VSE) annual survey collects data on fundraising outcomes in higher education institutions in the United States. It is regarded as the definitive source of information on philanthropic support of those institutions. This research brief--the first in a series--is an example of the Council for Advancement and…

The retreat of state funding at public institutions paired with the growing concerns surrounding vulture capitalism that has weaponized philanthropic gift-giving (i.e., distinguished chairs, scholarships and fellowships, academic research centers, faculty lines, campus maintenance) means educators must find ways to teach students about the…

Researchers interviewed higher education professionals, asking: How do professionals working in higher education equity and access sectors, both public and private, assign responsibility for improving access, and what solutions do they propose? Informed by Kingdon's multiple streams framework and Guajardo et al.'s theory of change in action,…

In response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) was formed to answer oil spill-related scientific questions. However, peer-reviewed scientific discoveries were not reaching people whose livelihoods depended on a healthy Gulf of Mexico. GoMRI and the four Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant programs partnered to…

Annual giving is a critical component of funding support for colleges at universities. It provides immediate funding for operations throughout the year for immediate use and provides an entry point for other types of giving. Alumni giving rates for annual gifts are a key factor in receiving corporate gifts, as they are an indicator of recipients…

This study addressed the issue of retention rates among the nation's private, not-for-profit, baccalaureate degree-granting Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In doing so, it examined the potential presence of relationships among revenue sources and retention rates. In order to conduct a comprehensive research study, the following…

This study set out to examine factors that influence and motivate foundations in their decision-making strategies to support Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), and how decisions are shaped by the identity, characteristics, and institutional advancement offices at these institutions of higher learning. Twelve semi-structured interviews were…

The increasing professionalisation, mixed profiles, and institutional formal recognition of research managers and administrators (RMAs), namely at higher education institutions, has led to an increasing but modest volume of academic studies focused on their professional identity, roles, functions and impact. Based on an extensive literature…

Because philanthropic support from alumni and their families is an important source of revenue for American colleges and universities, identifying ways to connect with Chinese students and cultivate philanthropic support from their parents is an essential component of fundraising efforts. In this study, I explored how American university…