Voluntary support
of education executive summary

Results from the annual report on findings from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s (CASE) Voluntary Support of Education (VSE) survey, the definitive source of data that measures the level of philanthropic support for nonprofit and public higher education institutions in the United States, show higher education institutions raised $58 billion, the second-highest amount on record. Voluntary support of higher education institutions in the United States declined 2.5 percent in 2023. Support from alumni declined 11.1 percent. Gifts from non-alumni individuals fell 10.5 percent. Gifts from organizations rose 2.7 percent. 

Data from a core group of 717 institutions that replied in 2022 and 2023 indicate that foundation support declined 1.8 percent. Corporate giving rose 3.2 percent. Gifts from all other organizations, a category dominated by donor-advised funds, rose 4.4 percent. Donor-advised funds represent a significant portion of organizational donors to higher education institutions in the nation. 

Individuals supplied 35.3 percent of the funds raised by U.S. colleges and universities in 2023. Organizations supplied 64.7 percent. Foundations give more than any other type of donor. 45.6 percent of foundation giving comes from family foundations. Increased contributions from organizations and decreased contributions from individuals was strongly influenced by the stock market’s downward trend at the end of calendar year 2022.

2023 VSE HIGHLIGHTS

#1 for total support and restricted support in fiscal year 2023 for all reporting SUNY public associate institutions!

For the fourth year in a row, our total support exceeded $5 million, at $6,178,910.

We have been in the top three for total support, unrestricted support and restricted support since 2018.

#1 for faculty/staff giving at $170,139 for all reporting SUNY public associates.