CASE Insights Strategic Benchmarking Report on
Philanthropy (UKI),
2023

Prepared for Sample Institution

May 2024

Strategic Benchmarking Report

THIS SAMPLE REPORT USES SIMULATED DATA FOR DEMONSTRATION PURPOSES

About this Report

Self-Selected Peers

UKI Peers
Sample UKI Peer 1
Sample UKI Peer 2
Sample UKI Peer 3
Sample UKI Peer 4
Sample UKI Peer 5
Sample UKI Peer 6
Sample UKI Peer 7
Sample UKI Peer 8
Sample UKI Peer 9
Sample UKI Peer 10

Report Navigation

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About CASE-Ross

The first CASE-Ross Group Support of Education Survey was carried out in 2002 (for 2001-02 data) and built on previous surveys undertaken within the Ross Group; the survey has been repeated annually since then. Participation is open to all higher education institutions in United Kingdom and Ireland.

The survey collects detailed information about gift revenue, fundraising costs, and donors to measure the philanthropic performance of higher education institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It provides an estimate of the overall impact of philanthropy on the higher education sector, is the only source of information on this subject in the United Kingdom and enables institutions to compare themselves with similar/peer institutions.

The survey asks for data on specific fundraising variables: fundraising and alumni relations programme (fundraising and alumni relations – staff, expenditure), funds received (total, by source, by contribution level, from legacies, largest cash gifts, from various triggers), donors (donor intentions, potential donors – total, individual, organisation, donor numbers – total, individual, organisations), institutional campaigns, and new funds committed (total, by source, by contribution level, largest confirmed new pledge or gift).

CASE-Ross Data Sharing Agreement

Data Sharing Agreement: CASE-Ross Support of Education Survey, UK and Ireland, 2022 - 23 Between Council for Advancement and Support of Education (‘CASE’), and the Institution indicated below (the ‘Institution’) individually a Party and together the Parties. The Parties hereby agree in consideration for the rights granted by CASE to the Institution and the rights granted by the Institution to CASE:

1. DEFINITIONS
The following definitions apply in this agreement. Data means the data comprising the questionnaire responses provided by the Institution to CASE in respect of the CASE-Ross Support of Education Survey, UK and Ireland;

Database means that database of data comprising disaggregated questionnaire responses and information provided by Sharing Institutions and the data and information contained therein since 2006;

Survey means CASE-Ross Support of Education Survey, UK and Ireland 2023 (survey data year 2021-2022) (previously called Ross-CASE Survey) conducted by CASE;

Survey Collaborators means CASE, the CASE-Ross Editorial Board, and such other organisations as is approved by CASE subject always to the confidentiality provisions set out in clause 3;

Tool means the online reporting tool accessible at the website address notified by CASE to the Institution providing access to the Database;

Sharing Institution means an institution that has agreed to the terms contained in this Agreement.

2. RIGHTS
2.1 CASE hereby grants the Institution a right to access the Tool and use the information contained in the Database solely for the Institution’s internal benchmarking or performance for the term of this Agreement, subject always to Clause 3.

2.2 The Institution hereby grants CASE:
2.2.1 a non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty free, worldwide licence to use the Data for the purposes of the Survey subject to the terms of this Agreement; and
2.2.2 a non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty free, worldwide licence to sub-licence the Data to the Survey Collaborators for the purposes of the Survey; and
2.2.3 a non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty free, worldwide licence to sub-licence the Data to other Sharing Institutions for the purposes of internal benchmarking of performance.

3. CONFIDENTIALITY
3.1 The Institution shall:
(a) keep confidential the Database and/or information obtained from the Tool;
(b) not disclose to third parties, without the express prior written consent of CASE, the Database and/or information obtained from the Tool;
(c) ensure that no publication of Database and/or information obtained from the Tool occurs without the prior express written consent of CASE; and
(d) disclose the Database and/or information obtained from the Tool which is provided by CASE to the Institution for internal benchmarking or performance, only to those persons necessary for the purposes of such internal benchmarking and only to the extent necessary for the proper performance of their duties.

3.2 Information about each Sharing Institution’s cluster will be shared with all Sharing Institutions by CASE. This information will be included in the Database and the Tool.

3.3 The Institution shall procure that the obligations in clause 3.1 are observed by its employees, students, officers and agents and by any other party retained by the Institution and any other party who engages in the internal benchmarking or performance at the instigation of the Institution.

3.4 The Institution shall notify CASE immediately if it becomes aware of any disclosure in breach of the obligations in this clause 3. At the request of CASE, the Institution will take all such steps as are necessary to prevent further disclosure.

3.5 The provisions of this clause 3 shall not apply to:
(a) any information which is in the public domain at the date of this agreement or which subsequently comes into the public domain other than by breach of this agreement or any other confidentiality agreement; or
(b) any information already in the possession of the Institution at the date of this agreement, other than under an obligation of confidentiality; or
(c) any information obtained without any obligation of confidence from a third party that is not in breach of a confidentiality agreement with the Company concerning the information obtained.
(d) the extent information is required to be disclosed by law, by any governmental or other regulatory authority or by a court or other authority of competent jurisdiction provided that, to the extent it is legally permitted to do so, it gives the other party as much notice of such disclosure as possible and, where notice of disclosure is not prohibited, it takes into account the reasonable requests of the other party in relation to the content of such disclosure.

3.6 On termination of this Agreement, the Institution shall erase all Database and/or information obtained from the Tool from computer and communications systems and devices used by it, including such systems and data storage services provided by third parties (to the extent technically practicable).

3.7 CASE gives no warranty of any kind in respect of the Tool or the Database and all statutory and implied warranties, terms and conditions are excluded to the full extent allowed by law.

3.8 The provisions of this clause 3 shall be deemed effective from the 30th September in the calendar year of signature shall remain in full force and effect thereafter.

4. DURATION AND TERMINATION
4.1 This agreement shall come into force on the date of the signature below and shall remain in force until the earlier of:
(a) three months after CASE has served a notice to the Institution; or
(b) the date of any breach by the Institution of the terms of this Agreement; or
(c) 14 days after the date of any notice of breach of this Agreement by CASE or the Survey Collaborators as notified by the Institution.

5. Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999
The Parties agree that any Sharing Institution has the right to enforce the terms of this letter against the Parties should they disclose the Database in breach of the terms of this letter.

6. Governing Law
We agree that the terms of the letter will be governed by English law.

Executive Overview

An executive overview will be written by the CASE Insights team with the purchase of presentation calls. If your purchase includes calls, this section will be populated after your preview call with the CASE Insights team.

Institutional Characteristics

Philanthropy (UK, Ireland)

Philanthropy Overview

New Funds Committed

Change in New Funds Committed

This chart examines Percentage Change in New Funds Committed (NFC), which was calculated by setting setting 2021 as the baseline for your institution and your self-selected peers. This chart is useful to examine your rate of growth in New Funds Committed during the period. Hover over each line to see further information on the New Funds Committed for each year. Please also see the Ranking tab to see how your institution ranked against peers in terms of New Funds Committed each year.

Ranking

Hover over each line to find more information on the amount of New Funds Committed that institution raised during the given year.

Data

Funds Received

Change in Funds Received

This chart examines Percentage Change in Funds Received (FR), which was calculated by setting setting 2021 as the baseline for your institution and your self-selected peers. This chart is useful to examine your rate of growth in Funds Received during the period. Hover over each line to see further information on the Funds Received for each year. Please also see the Ranking tab to see how your institution ranked against peers in terms of Funds Received each year.

Ranking

Hover over each line to find more information on the amount of Funds Received that institution received during the given year.

Change in Funds Received Minus 3 Largest Gifts

This chart shows Funds Received minus your three largest gifts, which is useful to understand how Funds Received changed excluding large gift outliers.

Data

Total Donors

Change in Total Donors

This chart examines Percentage Change in Total Donors, which was calculated by setting setting 2021 as the baseline for your institution and your self-selected peers. This chart is useful to examine your rate of growth in donors during the period. Hover over each line to see further information on the Total Donors for each year.

Data

Philanthropy Findings

New Funds Committed

New Funds Committed, 2022-23

Sample Institution reported £30,547,351 New Funds Committed in 2023. This was more than the median of your self-selected peers (£7.6M) and more than the median of your cluster (£8.2M).

Sample Institution had 330% change in New Funds Committed between 2022 and 2023. For comparison, your self-selected peers had a median change of -13% and your cluster had a median change of -2%. Change in New Funds Committed from 2022 to 2023 was calculated as the difference in 2023 NFC and 2022 NFC, divided by 2022 NFC. A positive number indicates that New Funds Committed increased during the period while a negative number indicates that New Funds Committed decreased.

Charts

Data

Sources of New Funds Committed

NOTE: Totals for Sources of New Funds Committed may not match Total New Funds Committed if breakouts were not sufficiently provided.

Summary

These charts show Sample Institution’s change in Sources of New Funds Committed over time as well as the median trends for your self-selected peers, survey cluster, and all respondents. Select the Details tab to observe the breakouts for each of your self-selected peers in 2023.

Details

Data

Click to Expand Data: Summary
Click to Expand Data: Details

Definitions

  • Alumni - Former students of the institution. This may include all former students who received an award (e.g., degrees, certificates, diplomas) from the institution; All former students who ever studied at the institution, however briefly; Honorary graduates; Current students who have already received one degree from the institution and are now returning to take a further degree.
  • Non-Alumni - Individuals who are not former students of the institution. This may include full time, part time, and former staff; parents of current students and of alumni; grateful patients, pet/animal owners; members of the community, current students.
  • Trusts and Foundations - Donations from charitable trusts and foundations in the UK and overseas. This includes donations from independent charities associated with NHS Trusts (but not direct from NHS Trusts).
  • Companies - Gifts from companies in the UK and overseas.
  • Lottery - Income from the National Lottery and similar sources (e.g., Heritage Lottery Fund, Sport England etc.).
  • Other Organisations - Other organisations that are registered charities, community groups, overseas governments or their agencies and foundations etc. and do not fall into any of the other categories of organisations.

New Funds Committed by Gift Band

This was a new question in the 2022-23 survey.

Chart

Data

Funds Received

Funds Received, 2022-23

Sample Institution reported £10,866,031 Funds Received in 2023. This was more than the median of your self-selected peers (£7.8M) and more than the median of your cluster (£8.1M).

Sample Institution had 9% change in Funds Received between 2022 and 2023. For comparison, your self-selected peers had a median change of 0% and your cluster had a median change of 4%. Change in Funds Received from 2022 to 2023 was calculated as the difference in 2023 FR and 2022 FR, divided by 2022 FR A positive number indicates that Funds Received increased during the period while a negative number indicates that Funds Received decreased.

Charts

Data

Sources of Funds Received

Summary

These charts show Sample Institution’s change in Sources of Funds Received over time as well as the median trends for your self-selected peers, survey cluster, and all respondents. Select the Details tab to observe the breakouts for each of your self-selected peers in 2023.

Details

Data

Click to Expand Data: Summary
Click to Expand Data: Details

Definitions

  • Alumni - Former students of the institution. This may include all former students who received an award (e.g., degrees, certificates, diplomas) from the institution; All former students who ever studied at the institution, however briefly; Honorary graduates; Current students who have already received one degree from the institution and are now returning to take a further degree.
  • Non-Alumni - Individuals who are not former students of the institution. This may include full time, part time, and former staff; parents of current students and of alumni; grateful patients, pet/animal owners; members of the community, current students.
  • Trusts and Foundations - Donations from charitable trusts and foundations in the UK and overseas. This includes donations from independent charities associated with NHS Trusts (but not direct from NHS Trusts).
  • Companies - Gifts from companies in the UK and overseas.
  • Lottery - Income from the National Lottery and similar sources (e.g., Heritage Lottery Fund, Sport England etc.).
  • Other Organisations - Other organisations that are registered charities, community groups, overseas governments or their agencies and foundations etc. and do not fall into any of the other categories of organisations.

Funds Received by Gift Band

This was a new question in the 2022-23 survey.

Chart

Data

Funds Received by Trigger

Summary

These charts show Sample Institution’s change in Funds Received by Trigger over time as well as the median trends for your self-selected peers, survey cluster, and all respondents. Select the Details tab to observe the breakouts for each of your self-selected peers in 2023.

Details

Data

Click to Expand Data: Summary
Click to Expand Data: Details

Definitions

Gift triggers are the interaction or event that caused an individual to decide to donate. The event that triggered the gift may have taken place in previous years.

  • Mass Solicitation or piggy back - When a mailing was sent with a primary purpose which was not to ask, but which may have included either a donation form or a note of a donation website. Typical examples of ‘piggy back’ asks include a donation form sent along with the alumni magazine, a telethon pre-call letter without an explicit ask in it, or an event booking form which includes a line for adding a donation to a booking fee, or a mailing to encourage legacy pledges which also includes a lifetime gift donation form.
  • Face to Face or tailored proposal - Any gift where there has been a direct ask by an employee of the University and/or a volunteer, to fund a particular project/proposal.
  • Legacies - Funds received from legacies. Although each legacy donation may have an identifiable ‘trigger’ we do not seek to clarify those triggers here. Our sole aim in including legacy giving here is to ensure that the total matches the total of funds received from individuals in the year.
  • Unsolicited - Gifts received from individuals where there has not been a specific/identifiable ask made by the institution. The donor has sought out the institution on his/her own and decided to support the institution him/herself.
  • Other Triggers - Any other known triggers not included above.
  • Unknown Triggers - The Development Office is unable to identify a trigger and should be used to record gifts received direct to departments/academics where the trigger is unknown. Many of these gifts may have been solicited by the academics/staff but if the Development office is unaware of this the Unknown trigger should be used.

Donors

Donor Populations

These charts show Sample Institution’s change in Donor Populations over time as well as the median trends for your self-selected peers, survey cluster, and all respondents. Select the Details tab to observe the breakouts for each of your self-selected peers in 2023.

In 2023, Sample Institution received 98.3% of your total gifts from individuals (Alumni and Non-Alumni). This was higher than your self-selected peers, which received a median of 94.8% total gifts from individuals.

Summary

Details

Data

Click to Expand Data: Summary
Click to Expand Data: Details

Definitions

  • Alumni - Former students of the institution. This may include all former students who received an award (e.g., degrees, certificates, diplomas) from the institution; All former students who ever studied at the institution, however briefly; Honorary graduates; Current students who have already received one degree from the institution and are now returning to take a further degree.
  • Non-Alumni - Individuals who are not former students of the institution. This may include full time, part time, and former staff; parents of current students and of alumni; grateful patients, pet/animal owners; members of the community, current students.
  • Trusts and Foundations - Donations from charitable trusts and foundations in the UK and overseas. This includes donations from independent charities associated with NHS Trusts (but not direct from NHS Trusts).
  • Companies - Gifts from companies in the UK and overseas.
  • Lottery - Income from the National Lottery and similar sources (e.g., Heritage Lottery Fund, Sport England etc.).
  • Other Organisations - Other organisations that are registered charities, community groups, overseas governments or their agencies and foundations etc. and do not fall into any of the other categories of organisations.

Donors by Gift Band

New Funds Committed

Funds Received

Please note that these gift band categories differ from those in the previous charts.

Data

Click to Expand Data: New Funds Committed Donors
Click to Expand Data: Funds Received Donors

Contactable Alumni and Alumni Donors

Contactable alumni are living alumni for whom you have a current postal address, email address, or phone number anywhere in the world and whom you are not prohibited from contacting. Sample Institution reported 64,896 contactable alumni in 2023. This was more than the median of your self selected peers (180,098) and more than the median of your survey cluster (132,876).

Sample Institution reported 3.9% of contactable alumni in 2023 were donors. This was more than the median of your self selected peers (0.5%) and more than the median of your survey cluster (1.1%).

Charts

Data

Alumni Giving by Graduation Cohort

This was an optional survey question.

Summary

Details

Data

Costs

Development Services was reintroduced to the survey in the 2022-23 reporting cycle.
To better understand trends over time, use the chart legend to remove the Development Services categories from the charts.

Investment

Summary

These charts show Sample Institution’s change in Costs over time as well as the median trends for your self-selected peers, survey cluster, and all respondents. Select the Details tab to observe the breakouts for each of your self-selected peers in 2023.

Details

Data

Click to Expand Data: Summary
Click to Expand Data: Details

Definitions

  • Fundraising (Staff) - The costs related to fundraising salary, National Insurance, and pensions. This includes the proportion of costs of staff with a joint focus on fundraising and alumni relations.
  • Fundraising (Non-Staff) - The operational costs related to fundraising not including the staffing costs. For example, this may include databases and licenses. The costs for temporary employment of students to make fundraising calls at certain times of year may be attributed to salary or non-salary costs according to institutions’ preference and ease of calculation.
  • Alumni Relations (Staff) - The costs related to alumni relations salary, National Insurance, and pensions. This include the proportion of costs of staff with a join focus on fundraising and alumni relations.
  • Alumni Relations (Non-Staff) - The operational costs related to alumni relations not including the staffing cost. For example, this may include the costs associated with the recruitment of students or the promotion of the research activities of your institution.
  • Alumni Magazine - The total non-staff cost of design, print and fulfilment of your magazine(s) that are regularly printed materials sent to the majority of your alumni. This does not include newsletters, e-newsletters and departmental newsletters.

Total Costs per 1,000 Contactable Alumni

Your Total Costs per 1,000 Contactable Alumni grew by 16.6% (£7,870) between 2022 and 2023. This change was greater than your self-selected peer’s median change during the same period of 0.3%.

Chart

Data

Staffing

Fundraising and Alumni Relations Staff Full Time Equivalent (FTE)

Charts

Data

Definitions

  • Alumni Relations Staff - Includes staff which work in alumni relations. Those with equally split roles should be attributed 50:50 between Alumni Relations and Fundraising staff. Alumni Relations staff does not include temporary staff, such as student telethon callers, envelope stuffers, or temporary staff who work at fundraising/alumni events.
  • Fundraising Staff - Includes staff which work in Fundraising. Those with equally split roles should be attributed 50:50 between Fundraising and Alumni Relations staff. Fundraising staff does not include staff from departments/faculties outside of the Development Office who act as ‘Champions’ or fundraise. This also does not include temporary staff, such as student telethon callers, envelope stuffers, or temporary staff who work at fundraising/alumni events.

New Funds Committed per Fundraising Staff FTE

Your New Funds Committed per Fundraising Staff FTE grew by 424.0% (£1,144,353) between 2022 and 2023. This change was greater than your self-selected peer’s median change during the same period of -3.3%.

Charts

Data