The United States is trailing competing nations in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education threatening the prosperity of our nation's most vital industries. Internationally, our students rank below other large or high-income economies in math and science assessments while interest and proficiency in STEM-related careers is…

Community colleges have become increasingly reliant on diversifying their revenue sources, and turning to private fund raising has become a common strategy for many of them. Although fund raising has been a common practice in higher education since its inception, it has only emerged in the two-year college sector in the past several decades. The…

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…

Two books on private donor decision-making are reviewed: "Decision Making in Foundations: A Case Study" by A. Hope Williams and "Factors Accounting for Variations in Levels of Private Giving to Higher Education in the United States" by Sally Spaid Drachman. (MSE)

Interviews with 30 million-dollar donors to colleges and universities, including 17 individuals and representatives of 8 corporations and 5 foundations, revealed that donors gave with the expectation of receiving some return but sought indirect rather than direct benefit: enhancement of the institution, community, or society at large. (MSE)

Corporate matching gift programs allow colleges to secure contributions from highly specialized corporations and corporations with geographically limited giving policies. However, colleges must stimulate their alumni to make the initial contributions and then take the extra step to secure the match. (MLW)

To cultivate companies for fund raising, the college development officer should focus on appropriate people, understand giving trends, follow mergers and acquisitions, and note corporate differences in giving patterns. Annual reports can reveal company self-image, help identify individuals, and illuminate the company's fiscal situation. However,…

A corporate relations program at the University of Rochester that uses several follow-up techniques to help keep lines of communication open and encourage corporations to stay in close touch is described. Gift acknowledgments, reports to donors, corporation visits, informational mailings, and campus visits and special events are discussed. (MLW)

The private sector is a mostly untapped source of student financial aid. Colleges and universities themselves are the largest sources of funds, but corporate sources are important. The Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America (CFSA) administers over 720 scholarship programs for corporate and other sponsors, up from 400 five years ago; other…

The Foundation Center is a non-profit, independent organization formed and funded by grant-makers to keep track of how foundations use their money and to make the information available to the public. It will soon expand to publishing books to increase public understanding of philanthropy, develop electronic communication and computer-based…

Ideas that have helped the University of Richmond win corporation support are identified: develop impact statements; research each prospect; schedule corporate days on campus; plan executive information sessions on campus; give return for support; use one gift to increase others; extend pledge period; use team approach; and thank donors. (MLW)

The argument for corporations to make donations to colleges suggests that corporate support of education has failed to keep pace with the increase in educational costs, the level of corporate profits, and the rate of inflation. For example, corporate support of education in 1969 was at a level of 0.45 percent of corporate pre-tax net income. In…

Types of aid to higher education are listed that allow corporations to support the colleges and universities of their choice through contributions to educational institutions, individuals, and to education-related organizations. Aid to educational institutions can include (1) specified unrestricted operating grants (general purpose grants,…

Examination of corporate donations of cash, products, service, and expertise to libraries highlights industry contributions in 1980; why corporations give; examples of corporate donations to various libraries (Brooklyn Public, New York Public, Altoona Area Public, Boston Public); planning fund-raising compaigns; and seven strategic planning…

With each merger or corporate restructuring comes the possibility that corporate giving to higher education will suffer. A combination of patience, understanding of the processes at work in corporate change, and regular contact with affected companies can help position the college or university to make the most of any outcome. (MSE)