Fundraising Talks – March 2026

Welcome to the March 2026 edition of Fundraising Talks. March is Women’s History Month, and recognizing the women donors and philanthropists who are making a significant impact at your institutions can be incredibly meaningful. In recent years, MacKenzie Scott has been a major force in higher education philanthropy, providing transformative gifts to institutions—especially HBCUs and those serving diverse and underrepresented populations. Her transformative support is one example of how donor priorities and giving trends are evolving across the sector as economic and political factors shaping philanthropy and charitable behavior continue to evolve. The 2026 CCS Philanthropy Pulse offers insights into the forces influencing nonprofit fundraising today, with specific perspectives on the higher education sector.

Data from the 2026 RBC Wealth Management Women and Wealth report shows that Millennial women’s wealth in the U.S. is outpacing that of men, driven by diversified wealth sources, executive leadership roles, and real estate and business ownership. A PRNewswire article, “RBC Wealth Management Survey Finds Women’s Economic Power Rising to New Heights,” highlights findings from the survey of 1,505 women and 505 men in the U.S. with at least $1 million in investable assets. The results reveal generational differences among high-net-worth (HNW) women, across Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers, in how they approach their finances. Many focus on “inner wealth,” prioritizing personal values, passions, and responsible financial behavior over purely financial metrics. Sixty-one percent of Millennial women plan to transfer wealth to their children during their lifetimes, while fifty percent of Boomer women plan to transfer wealth after their passing. Across generations, fifty-two percent of Millennial women plan to give back, compared to twenty‑four percent of Gen X women and twenty‑nine percent of Boomers. Thoughtful cultivation strategies tailored to each generation may support meaningful and long‑lasting donor partnerships.

Separately, CCS Fundraising released the 2026 Philanthropy Pulse survey in late 2025, which provides additional insights into the higher education sector. Of the 618 respondents, 56 represented higher education institutions. Below are several key findings:

Fundraising performance and management metrics:
Higher education institutions continue to track frontline activities such as contacts, visits, and proposal close rates. Among institutions that measure cost-per-dollar-raised, 47 percent report spending less than $0.25 to raise one dollar.

Fundraising outcomes in 2025:
Sixty‑eight percent of institutions saw increased revenue, sixty‑three percent acquired new donors, and forty‑seven percent retained at least forty‑five percent of new donors.

Alumni engagement strategies:
The most frequently used strategies for acquiring and retaining donors include alumni reunions and events (50 percent), alumni board or council engagement (29 percent), annual giving campaigns (29 percent), and alumni giving days and targeted digital communications (24 percent).

Investment in technology:
Technology remains a top priority for higher education leaders. The use of data and AI is having a significant impact on streamlining operations, enhancing personalized donor engagement, and improving campaign targeting. Most institutions expect continued growth in annual appeals, major gifts, and deferred or planned giving programs.

As we navigate ongoing developments and challenges in the U.S. and around the world, institutions must stay attentive to how these dynamics affect philanthropic behavior. While donors will continue to support the causes they care deeply about, higher education institutions must work to earn and maintain their trust by clearly demonstrating the impact of charitable support. True altruistic donors remain committed to their causes when engaged with transparency, consistency, and trust.


As always, please feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or requests for fundraising research assistance!

Best Regards,
Sapna and USM Advancement Research Team
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