New index suggests slowdown in education giving

July 21, 2008

The rate of growth in giving to education in the U.S. is likely to slow in the coming year, according to a new forecasting tool launched by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

The CASE Fundraising Index, or CFI, predicts philanthropic support for schools, colleges and universities will grow by 5.3 percent for the academic year that began July 1.

Over the past 20 years, the average annual rate of growth for giving to education has been 7 percent.

For the 12-month period that ended June 30, the index estimates educational institutions will record a 7.2 percent increase in giving, roughly even with the 20-year average.

"The initial CFI results suggest that the weak U.S. economy will slow the rate of growth in educational fundraising in the coming year, but the results also suggest that giving will continue to grow," CASE President John Lippincott says in a statement.

"For the previous 12-month period, the CFI indicates that the effects of the economic downturn had not yet impacted giving to education," he says.

The index is based on a survey of senior fundraising professionals at universities, colleges and independent schools in the U.S.

CASE will conduct the survey twice a year -- once at the end

of the academic year and once at the end of the calendar

year.

• Email this page