This list of largest campaigns undertaken by higher education institutions in the United States is in descending order from largest to smallest goal size. Information was compiled from press releases, articles, websites, and databases. Updates are ongoing. Citations for selected sources can be found in the bibliography at the end of the document. 
 

At CASE’s “The Future of Advancement” panel discussions held throughout 2024, we invited members around the globe to share ideas about the profession. We consistently heard that institutions must sharpen their focus by listening more to their communities—understanding their doubts, addressing gaps in understanding, and clearly articulating our purpose.

Two simultaneous public-private partnership campaigns at Heartland Community College (Illinois, U.S.) yielded innovative new agriculture and manufacturing facilities. 

The CASE Library has developed a resource collection on advancement in independent schools. The collection offers information on general trends, advancement, alumni and parent engagement, communications and marketing, and fundraising. This collection also includes a guide to all the CASE Library's sample collections that feature sections for independent schools samples. We encourage you to visit the Schools hub for additional resources and news from CASE.

The CASE Library maintains this sample collection of giving reports, donor honor rolls and campaign reports.  It includes CASE Circle of Excellence Award winners and examples available on institution websites.

Leaders of higher education institutions and independent K-12 schools have seen their fundraising responsibilities grow over time. To help members meet these challenges, the CASE Library has created this resource collection on how presidents and heads of school can develop their fundraising skills and collaborate with advancement staff. 

“There are so many juicy and amazing things we can tease out of data,” says analytics enthusiast and CASE volunteer Amanda Jarmon. She is an advocate for people with neurodivergence, calling her own experience with it her “superpower’ that enhances her ability to deeply analyze data for her clients. 

Founding Editor Virginia Carter Smith set the foundation for Currents—a magazine chronicling trends in advancement that helps professionals work more effectively—that stands today.

In its fall 2023 annual fund campaign, Reed College’s team showed donors how recurring giving is a convenient, powerful way to make a difference. The Portland, Oregon, U.S., college won a Circle of Excellence Award in fundraising for its revitalized campaign, which focused on consistency and impact. Here’s why it worked.

The Library compiled this collection to assist members who are planning a campaign. It represents a variety of campaign types and goals from higher education institutions and independent schools, including several that won CASE Circle of Excellence Awards.