The experiences of a university president who loves fund-raising are described. Supporting institutional missions, philanthropy as an American custom, competition, the satisfaction of seeing grants work, and the fellowship of development professionals are discussed. (MLW)

In 1983, members of Cornell University's Class of '73 raised an all-American record in reunion gifts. How they got the participation, the high giving levels, and the first-time givers are discussed. The Cornell strategy, market research, recruiting solicitors, and getting the gifts are described. (MLW)

Uses a ballooning analogy to offer nine suggestions for universities conducting major fund-raising campaigns: study the map and choose a direction; test the prevailing winds; choose and train your crew; gear up for the journey; stay on course; make every bit count; change course as needed; and capitalize on your successful landing. (DB)

The effectiveness of a development officer is directly proportional to the fund-raising abilities of the president and the chairman of the board of trustees. A modest program that fits the corporate culture of the institution will be better than a program that is too ambitious for the people involved. (MLW)

A training manual for volunteer fund-raisers is presented. The technique of soliciting is described and an interview with top volunteer Jerome Stone on fund-raising is included (MLW)

A good plan is a statement of major management decisions that sets the stage for successful fund raising for years to come. A 12-step planning process includes: consensus on what the plan will include; timetable for planning; gathering data needed to conduct an assessment; individual program assessment; etc. (MLW)

Every planned giving administrator's ultimate responsibility is to serve the institution of higher education and not the donor. Planned giving administrators should instruct donors to consult a financial adviser because they cannot fill that role. (MLW)

Conventional wisdom says that young alumni do not give, but evidence suggests that this is not true. The young alumni at Iowa State University, however, constitute the largest group of donors. Factors that are encouraging young people to give are described. (MLW)

The future of American higher education now depends on its ability to attract more and larger gifts for endowment. Comprehensive strategies that include all the ways to increase endowments are presented. (MLW)

Flexible endowments are a form of planned giving agreement letting highly motivated donors give endowment-level funding to colleges and universities before they are able to make an outright gift. The donor commits to giving the institution the amount of money an endowment would have generated each year until the endowment principle is fully…

The best way to support charitable causes after tax reform is planned giving. Seven changes in the new tax laws that may affect donors are identified: charitable deduction, fewer deductions, fewer itemizers, increased capital gains tax, alternative minimum tax, generation-skipping tax, and retirement plan restrictions. (MLW)

A strategy for seeking grants from major foundations is presented. A five-step process includes: preparation, identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. A grant from one of the private foundations in the country brings not only cash but also important national visibility to a campus. (MLW)

To raise money for endowment, there needs to be a mix of strong leadership, solid fund-raising technique, and confidence-inspiring endowment fund management. These ingredients have helped Berea College increase its endowment to more than $100 million. (MLW)

The capital campaign is seen as one of the most critical activities of a college president. Planning the campaign, determining feasibility, formulating the case, validating critical projects, evaluating major prospects, giving and asking, and achieving public credibility are discussed. (MLW)

By 1979 the University of San Diego needed more resources that only major capital campaigns could generate, and a new advancement officer was hired. The productive relationship between the president and the vice president of university relations is described. (MLW)