This year's Voluntary Support of Education survey of more than 1,000 colleges and universities by the Council for Aid to Education (CAE) shows a strong increase in alumni giving, in the form of larger totals and higher average gifts. But the participation rate is down. This has been the pattern for several years.
The survey shows alumni participation falling from 12.4% percent in 2005 to 11.8% in 2006. The summary highlights the effect of larger graduating classes, longer life spans, and better record-keeping by advancement shops:
Even when the number of donors increases, that does not automatically translate into higher participation rates because the number of alumni of record...may [have] increased faster than the number who contribute.
The survey also lists the top ten US fundraising universities (by dollars received) for 2006. Before you peek, can you guess which schools are on the list? Once you've made your prediction click this link for the press release from CAE (PDF format):
