Alumni participation rates of 40 percent and more are not uncommon at private baccalaureate institutions in the United States. At most publics, there is real cause for cheering when the rate peaks over 10 percent. Part of the problem is simply the math. With larger pools of alumni, public institutions face much higher costs, for instance, to send…

As the director of alumni affairs at the University of Waterloo, the author had two questions to answer: How engaged are the university's alumni, and how can advancement professionals double the current level of alumni engagement and alumni giving? The author explored these questions, found answers, and implemented the solutions. This was the…

Although fundraising is not necessarily a natural activity for those trained and serving in student affairs functions, it is activity to which those in the field may have to grow accustomed. Fundraising on behalf of student affairs needs to be undertaken with a widely understood process and clearly articulated goals. When student affairs staff…

Faced with large and continued cuts in state funding, U.S. public postsecondary institutions are looking for new ways to both communicate their needs and garner support. They are calling on longtime supporters, enlisting new allies, developing strategic alliances, and crafting new messages and campaigns--all to underscore the importance of higher…

Fundraising has never been a strong suit for most community colleges. But in recent years, it's become a major focus. Forced to offset a decrease in government funding to help pay for student scholarships, capital improvement projects, and additional personnel to launch new educational programs, community college leaders have been forced to…