The Council for Advancement and Support of Education has announced the names of more than 100 U.S. educational institutions that are being recognized with 2020 Educational Fundraising Awards. 

For the second consecutive year, a record number of institutions—32—are being recognized for the first time. 

The Educational Fundraising Awards annually recognize exemplary development programs based on a blind review of data submitted to the CASE Voluntary Support of Education (VSE) survey. CASE member institutions that have participated in the VSE for the past three years are automatically considered for the following awards:  

• Overall Performance: For colleges and universities that show solid program growth, breadth in the base of support, and other indications of a mature, well-maintained program. 
• Overall Improvement: For colleges and universities that demonstrate significant program growth across the three years of data. 

• Award of Excellence: For independent schools that demonstrate solid program growth, breadth in the base of support, and other indicators of an exemplary fundraising program. 

Five higher education institutions had the unique distinction of receiving awards for Overall Performance and Overall Improvement: California University of Pennsylvania, Claremont McKenna College, Clark College, Union Presbyterian Seminary, and the University of Southern Maine. 

In addition, 16 institutions received “Sustained Excellence Awards,” which recognize schools, colleges and universities that have demonstrated consistent fundraising success over a five-year period. Institutions that have been recognized for Overall Performance, Overall Improvement, or with an Award for Excellence in three out of the past five years also receive this award designation.

“Whilst today we celebrate the schools, colleges and universities in the United States that embody the best in educational fundraising, we want to acknowledge the people who make such achievements possible,” said Sue Cunningham, CASE President and CEO. “Successful fundraising happens when everyone participates, from the staff and faculty to the institution’s leadership. This inspiring philanthropic engagement is guided by dedicated and professional development staff, and supported by generous volunteers. Collectively, we are advancing education—key to addressing the many serious challenges our world faces today.” 

Winners are not selected based solely on total funds raised. Two committees of experienced fundraisers (one for independent schools and one for colleges and universities) review hundreds of pages of data from the CASE AMAtlas VSE Survey. They consider a number of factors and variables, including: 

• Patterns of growth in total support  

• Evaluation of what contributed to the total support figure 

• Overall breadth of fundraising 

• Patterns of growth in gifts from sources including alumni, other individuals, corporations, and foundations  

• Impact of the 12 largest gifts on total support 

• Giving to areas such as current operations, endowment, and property/buildings 

• Amount raised per student 

• Amount raised relative to expenditures 

• Alumni participation 

In showcasing these best-of-the-best programs, CASE helps its members identify institutions doing smart and innovative work from which everyone can learn. 

CASE members have access to all of the benchmarking data used to determine winners, as well as fundraising data for scores of other U.S. and Canadian institutions through the online AMAtlas Data Miner. Users have access to 10 years of survey data from more than 1,000 survey respondents. 

“We also salute all of the institutions and advancement professionals who dedicate the time to report their data to the annual VSE Survey,” said Ann E. Kaplan, a CASE senior director who is responsible for the survey. “They are contributing to the greater understanding of—and therefore support of—educational fundraising.” To learn more about participating in the survey, contact vse@case.org. 

See the full list of winners >