A Presidential Perspective on the Practice of Fundraising in Community Colleges

All higher education institutions have concerns about their fiscal health, and many have engaged in fundraising practices to augment and supplement other sources of revenue. Community colleges have been slower than their 4-year counterparts to engage in fundraising. Despite enrolling almost half of all students in postsecondary education, they continue to raise a small percentage of all philanthropic funds that are given to education. The current study was designed to develop an understanding of the operations of fundraising in community colleges to create a baseline for both further research and additional educational opportunities. Through structured interviews with 12 current community college presidents, data highlighted the wide range of practices and resources available for fundraising. Additionally, findings indicated that some community colleges have a rudimentary, almost non-existent structure for fundraising while others have highly sophisticated programs. These results stress the need for both further research and professional development targeted at community colleges, their leaders, and providing an understanding of the range of community college structures and settings that might impact fundraising.