Fund-Raising: A New World for Department Chairs: Issue 4

Executive Summary With the tectonic shift in higher education funding from a social good supported by public funds to a private benefit supported by individuals and private entities, institutional fund-raising is undergoing change. Fund-raising, which was once almost exclusively the concern of independent colleges and universities, is now an increasingly important preoccupation of public institutions. As this shift has taken place, the tasks associated with fund-raising have become the responsibility of departments and chairs as well as the concern of administrators and professional fund-raisers.

In this briefing, I provide a historical review of funding patterns in higher education, followed by a discussion on how chairs can lead their departmental search for external funds to meet operating and capital budget needs. I then review the fundamentals of fund-raising, its terminology, and the rules that govern expenditures in academic departments. I also explain how chairs and departments can put their ideas into action to expand department resources, by responding to opportunities and/or designing their own plan. Finally, I provide suggestions for dealing with some of the ethical issues that can arise.