An exploration of government funding, alumni giving, and private fundraising’s impact on resource generation at historically black colleges and universities:a multiple case study

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2016-05-22

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Funding for institutions of higher education (IHE) currently faces particularly difficult challenges the given recent economic downturns and changing perceptions of the usefulness of a college degree. At the same time, while the colleges and universities seek to grapple with the rising expectations and expanding costs, opportunities for funding appear to be lessening. Government funding, whether through federal, state or local government, has been decreasing as a result of the economic conditions at the same time that external indicators that judge higher education institutions worthy of investment become more stringent. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) suffer disproportionately in this environment. The mission of these institutions is to address long-term inequities in education that African-Americans, in particular, have suffered. Current indicators of a university or college’s worthiness are increasingly based on the U.S. News and World Report rankings, yet these rankings utilize measures that cast HBCUs in an especially negative light because their mission is to serve under- v resourced and predominantly first-generation college students. Institutions of higher education, and especially HBCUs in particular, must carefully examine their current resource generation methodology and make adjustments based on current realities. This study provides an in-depth case study into two HBCUs in the mid-Atlantic region and their approach to resource generation in light of this changing paradigm. It highlights the importance of moving away from a dependence on government funding to a more sustainable and independent approach that emphasizes more creative alumni giving and private fundraising. This study builds on and contributes to a strong research base that clearly shows that institutions of higher education must seek to engage alumni earlier and more actively in committing to ongoing financial support of their alma maters while also finding ways to convince potential donors, whether private individuals, corporate sponsors, or charitable organizations, of the important role that HBCUs play in educating students who have much to contribute to the improvement of American communities but suffer especially difficult challenges in achieving a college education. This study highlights several particularly important changes that HBCUs can make in their resource generation strategies that will, ideally, guarantee their usefulness and sustainability in the future.

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A DISSERTATION Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Graduate Program of Delaware State University DOVER, DELAWARE May 2016

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