September 13, 2023 Why This Major Antipoverty Funder Is Ramping Up Its Investment in HBCUs September 13, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen 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.Read More
August 10, 2023 “A More Even Playing Field.” How Would the End of Legacy Admissions Impact Alumni Giving? August 10, 2023/ Mike Scutari 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? Read More
August 10, 2023 The Wealthy Donors Behind the Assault on Affirmative Action August 10, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen 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.Read More
July 31, 2023 HBCU Moves: Seven Questions for Mildred Whittier, Spelman College Alumna and Fundraiser July 31, 2023/ Ade Adeniji 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.Read More
July 28, 2023 Don't Leave Home Without It: A Quick Look at Ken Chenault's Philanthropy July 28, 2023/ Ade Adeniji 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.Read More
July 25, 2023 Nine Ways Funders Can Increase Diversity in Higher Ed in a World Without Affirmative Action July 25, 2023/ Mike Scutari 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.Read More
July 24, 2023 Who Are the Top Black Donors to HBCUs? July 24, 2023/ Ade Adeniji 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.Read More
July 18, 2023 Charles Barkley Made a Big Commitment to Diversity in Higher Ed. What Drives His Giving? July 18, 2023/ Ade Adeniji 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. Read More
July 14, 2023 This Billionaire Heiress and Her Husband Have a Huge Philanthropic Footprint in Their Hometown July 14, 2023/ Mike Scutari Ronda Stryker and William Johnston are frequent mega-donors with a foundation that’s laser-focused on Kalamazoo, Michigan. Big as the numbers are on paper, there’s reason to think their local support extends far further.Read More
June 29, 2023 A Philanthropic Push to Diversify the Ranks of Researchers in Economics and Other Social Sciences June 29, 2023/ Paul Karon The Russell Sage Foundation's Pipeline Grants Competition, in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, promotes the careers of diverse academics who study economic opportunity, equality and social mobility.Read More
June 26, 2023 This Megadonor Couple’s Latest Gift to a Favored University Follows Past Criticism June 26, 2023/ Paul Karon Henry and Susan Samueli are continuing their tradition of big giving to UC Irvine. But their support for the school hasn’t always been free of controversy, highlighting concerns over megadonor influence in higher ed.Read More
June 14, 2023 Eight Questions for Jacob Fraire, President of ECMC Foundation June 14, 2023/ Michelle Dominguez In February, Jacob Fraire took the helm at this L.A.-based, national higher ed funder. We spoke with Fraire about growing up in a family of migrant farmworkers, his path to college, and the meaning of strategic philanthropy. Read More
June 06, 2023 Philanthropy Contributes to “Wealth Stratification” in Higher Ed. Can it Help Close the Gap? June 06, 2023/ Mike Scutari The wealth gap between the “haves” and the “have nots” in higher ed continues to grow at an alarming rate. A new book looks at how how trustees at wealthy schools — and their alumni — can reverse the trend.Read More
June 02, 2023 Jim and Marilyn Simons Just Doubled a Public University's Endowment. More Mega Gifts to Come? June 02, 2023/ Paul Karon The megadonor couple just committed $500 million to Stony Brook University in New York. Is this a sign of more huge gifts down the road? And can other states learn from New York’s higher ed endowment matching program?Read More
May 30, 2023 Universities Get Big Bucks, Climate Does Not. But Recent Gifts Show Growing Crossover May 30, 2023/ Michael Kavate Does a series of recent awards for climate-related university projects suggest a promising fundraising trend amid a planetary crisis, or is this just a case of more of the same?Read More
May 24, 2023 Carlyle Crew: A Closer Look at Daniel A. D'Aniello's Giving for Higher Ed, Mental Health and More May 24, 2023/ Ade Adeniji One of the founders of the investment giant Carlyle Group, D'Aniello and his wife Gayle have made some big gifts for higher ed, spirituality and Catholic causes, and a leading conservative think tank. Here’s a rundown.Read More
May 24, 2023 Hillel Celebrates 100 Years — and Rallies Some Major Jewish Donors May 24, 2023/ Simone Ellin The popular Jewish student organization Hillel is marking a century in operation with an ambitious fundraising campaign. The effort has raised more than $100 million to bolster its work at a critical time.Read More
May 19, 2023 With Its First Major Grant, a New Foundation Tackles Rural Healthcare Access May 19, 2023/ Martha Ramirez After selling her company and starting the Barr-Campbell Family Foundation, a UC Berkeley alum awarded the university $10 million to launch an ambitious master’s degree program focused on rural healthcare.Read More
May 18, 2023 “You Can’t Pick and Choose.” A Revealing Look at Why Leaders Accept Toxic Donations May 18, 2023/ Mike Scutari Unlike most nonprofit leaders who’ve received toxic gifts, Bard President Leon Botstein has clearly laid out his reasons for soliciting donations from Jeffrey Epstein. We suspect he isn’t the only decision-maker who thinks this way.Read More
May 10, 2023 The Huge Philanthropic Gift at the Heart of a Major University Initiative to Advance Computing May 10, 2023/ Paul Karon A $260 million gift from the Lord Foundation of California to USC seeded a billion-dollar, campus-wide effort to reshape technology research and teaching. It’s part of a unique windfall of funds that boosted four universities.Read More