Universities Raised a Staggering Amount of Money Last Fiscal Year, Despite a Tepid Stock Market

Universities Raised a Staggering Amount of Money Last Fiscal Year, Despite a Tepid Stock Market

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s latest survey shows that last fiscal year, universities raised the second highest total since CASE started keeping track. We walk through key findings with the report’s author.

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A Huge Gift to Cut Medical School Tuition Looks to Make a Dent in a Deep Systemic Problem

A Huge Gift to Cut Medical School Tuition Looks to Make a Dent in a Deep Systemic Problem

Crushing medical school debt has been contributing to a shortage of physicians and steering doctors away from needed but lower-paid specialties. A $1 billion gift will make tuition free at a New York med school.

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This Higher Ed Funder Recognized the Growing Crisis of Student Mental Health Over Ten Years Ago

This Higher Ed Funder Recognized the Growing Crisis of Student Mental Health Over Ten Years Ago

The Duke Endowment started working with four colleges back in 2013 to support students’ emotional wellbeing. With mental health concerns on the rise among youth, those efforts could serve as a model for other grantmakers.

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A Family Foundation’s Refreshingly Accessible Approach to Funding Research and Education

A Family Foundation’s Refreshingly Accessible Approach to Funding Research and Education

Established in 2001 by investing legend Gary Brinson, the Chicago-based Brinson Foundation focuses on education and scientific research. We take a closer look at this uniquely transparent and accessible family foundation. 

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The Dollar Amounts Are Historic, But Here’s Why We’re Really Bullish About Two Recent HBCU Gifts

The Dollar Amounts Are Historic, But Here’s Why We’re Really Bullish About Two Recent HBCU Gifts

Spelman College and the UNCF received $100 million apiece in recent weeks. We dig into the common ingredients in each donation, and why they’re an encouraging sign for the HBCU field as a whole. 

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Culture Wars On Campus Are Raging, and Megadonors Are Key Figures on the Battlefield

Culture Wars On Campus Are Raging, and Megadonors Are Key Figures on the Battlefield

On the heels of Harvard President Claudine Gay’s resignation, activists are pivoting to hot-button issues like dismantling DEI programs. Major donors have played a key role, and will likely continue to do so.

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Ed Donors Take Note: Scholarships Have to Amount to More Than Just Feel-Good Stories

Ed Donors Take Note: Scholarships Have to Amount to More Than Just Feel-Good Stories

According to guest author Mike Nylund, scholarships as they’re currently awarded tend to exacerbate inequities in higher ed. His argument: Donors should adopt a sharp focus on students with clear financial need.

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After a Trailblazing Career in Tech, a Donor Couple Boosts Black History, Higher Ed and More

After a Trailblazing Career in Tech, a Donor Couple Boosts Black History, Higher Ed and More

Drawing wealth from a successful run as an IBM engineer, Rodney C. Adkins and wife Michelle Adkins are big backers of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, along with universities and STEM education.

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A Look Back at the Giving of Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett's Right-Hand Man

A Look Back at the Giving of Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett's Right-Hand Man

The legacy of the late Charlie Munger, second-in-command at Berkshire Hathaway, will be closely connected to that of his business partner. But his philanthropic record was quite different from Warren Buffett’s.

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A Closer Look at the Philanthropy of First Wave Tech Billionaire John Morgridge and His Family

A Closer Look at the Philanthropy of First Wave Tech Billionaire John Morgridge and His Family

The former Cisco CEO hails from the generation of givers who made their fortunes in tech’s first wave. We dig into his family’s grantmaking and meet the heirs who’ll carry that philanthropy forward.

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What Does the Billionaire Donor Revolt at Ivy League Schools Mean for Higher Ed Philanthropy?

What Does the Billionaire Donor Revolt at Ivy League Schools Mean for Higher Ed Philanthropy?

Affluent donors have threatened to withhold support to protest school administrators’ responses to the Israel-Hamas war, among other related issues. We dig into its potential implications for the field.

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Big Giving, Low Profile: Digging into the Philanthropy of the Billionaire Chan Family

Big Giving, Low Profile: Digging into the Philanthropy of the Billionaire Chan Family

While they have a penchant for higher ed mega-gifts, billionaire businessmen Ronnie and Gerald Chan keep things fairly low key with their Morningside Foundation. Here’s a look at the family’s backstory and the brothers’ priorities.

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Why This Major Antipoverty Funder Is Ramping Up Its Investment in HBCUs

Why This Major Antipoverty Funder Is Ramping Up Its Investment in HBCUs

Against the backdrop of rising funder interest and a controversial Supreme Court decision, the big-donor funding collaborative Blue Meridian Partners is tripling its investment in the HBCU Transformation Project.

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“A More Even Playing Field.” How Would the End of Legacy Admissions Impact Alumni Giving?

“A More Even Playing Field.” How Would the End of Legacy Admissions Impact Alumni Giving?

Across the country, it’s looking as if the days of legacy preferences may be numbered. Will ending the policy hurt revenues, or bring about a welcome change in the higher ed fundraising landscape?

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The Wealthy Donors Behind the Assault on Affirmative Action

The Wealthy Donors Behind the Assault on Affirmative Action

The campaign against affirmative action isn’t a lonely crusade by a committed activist and a band of disgruntled students; it’s an organized effort bankrolled by a powerful network of conservative funders.

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HBCU Moves: Seven Questions for Mildred Whittier, Spelman College Alumna and Fundraiser

HBCU Moves: Seven Questions for Mildred Whittier, Spelman College Alumna and Fundraiser

Mildred Whittier helped launch Women for Golden Futures, a fundraising effort to support her alma mater Spelman College. We heard from her about the initiative, her history with Spelman, and how HBCUs can pull in more funding.

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Don't Leave Home Without It: A Quick Look at Ken Chenault's Philanthropy

Don't Leave Home Without It: A Quick Look at Ken Chenault's Philanthropy

The longtime American Express chief was one of the first Black CEOs of a Fortune 500 firm. Chenault backs a range of causes alongside his wife Kathryn, with HBCUs and arts and culture looming large.

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Nine Ways Funders Can Increase Diversity in Higher Ed in a World Without Affirmative Action

Nine Ways Funders Can Increase Diversity in Higher Ed in a World Without Affirmative Action

The Supreme Court decision ending affirmative action sent a shockwave throughout higher ed philanthropy. Leaders in the field offer a to-do list to help fellow funders carry out their missions in this new legal landscape.

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Who Are the Top Black Donors to HBCUs?

Who Are the Top Black Donors to HBCUs?

HBCUs are poised to become a larger philanthropic cause following the Supreme Court ruling rejecting affirmative action. But for years, Black donors have been among their largest backers. Here are some of the biggest donors.

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Charles Barkley Made a Big Commitment to Diversity in Higher Ed. What Drives His Giving?

Charles Barkley Made a Big Commitment to Diversity in Higher Ed. What Drives His Giving?

This basketball and broadcasting star has been supporting higher ed and other causes for years. The Supreme Court’s recent affirmative action ruling influenced one of his biggest commitments to date.

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