Giving to U.S. colleges and universities rose in 2021 thanks in part to a rise in alumni contributions, according to data reported in CASE’s Voluntary Support of Education survey. 

Total giving to colleges and universities in the United States reached US$52.9 billion during the 2020-2021 fiscal year, up from $49.50 billion the previous year. This 6.9% increase was buoyed by donations to restricted endowments, and is dominated by foundation and alumni giving. Learn more in the VSE survey highlights, released Feb. 16.

As the world begins to emerge from the pandemic, the U.S. results follow similar global trends of growth and recovery. Canadian institutions raised CAD$1.7 billion from just over 250,000 donors in 2021, according to the latest CASE and Canadian Council for Advancement of Education Support of Education Survey. (Canadian institutions raised CAD$1.7 billion from just over 250,000 donors in 2021.) Reports from Australia/New Zealand also support a growth in giving in recent years.

CASE’s VSE survey is the definitive source of information on philanthropic support to higher education institutions in the United States. It is just one piece of a larger global data story that weaves together benchmarking metrics from around the world. This includes global metrics for alumni relations, core philanthropy metrics, and campaigns, with key analysis based on region and type of institution. Keep an eye out next for the philanthropy benchmarks from UK/Ireland (CASE-Ross) and the global alumni engagement metrics, which will be released over the coming months.

Sharing your data in CASE AMAtlas surveys helps strengthen benchmarking and analysis about advancement around the globe. The data you share provides global insights for advancement shops around the world. These surveys are now open:

• For Australia and New Zealand institutions, the CASE Support of Education Survey, Australia and New Zealand, opened on 1 Feb.
• There’s also still time for Australia and New Zealand participants to contribute to the Global Alumni Engagement Metrics Survey. The survey measures four modes of engagement: philanthropic, volunteer, experiential, and communications. That closes on 25 Feb.
• Members can also participate in a pilot survey (Core Metrics) that collects the key measures every institution or school, regardless of sector or country, should benchmark. The Core Metrics survey is open for data collection through 31 March.
• If you have completed a capital campaign or launched the public phase, take part in the new CASE-Marts & Lundy CampaignSource survey.

The foundation of all our research and data is the CASE Global Reporting Standards, offering global guidance, has a digital subscription and six country-specific supplements for the first time since initial publication in 1982.

New for this year: CASE Global Reporting Standards Training Course, perfect for newcomers to the profession or anyone new to the standards. Learn at your own pace with seven modules about gift reporting and campaign guidelines, key differences in fundraising practices around the globe, benchmarking tips, and more. Participants can join roundtable discussions and office hours, and have access to extra resources like interviews and readings.