CASE Insights on Giving Days in partnership with Almabase-CASE Insights on Giving Days 2024 Report

CASE Insights on Giving Days 2024 Report

Pdf Summary

The 2025 CASE Insights report on Giving Days, developed in partnership with Almabase, offers comprehensive analysis and global insights into the evolving role of Giving Days in educational philanthropy. CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) is a global nonprofit association supporting over 91,000 advancement professionals across 3,100 institutions in 80 countries. Almabase provides alumni and donor engagement platforms aimed at democratizing education philanthropy.<br /><br />Giving Days are defined as time-bound fundraising events designed to engage and expand donor bases while cultivating a culture of philanthropy. These events have become essential across higher education institutions and independent schools, with over 90% of surveyed organizations hosting at least one annually. Most Giving Days last 24 hours but may extend longer, using gamification, matching gifts, and interactive online updates to build excitement and participation.<br /><br />The report highlights a shifting philanthropic landscape: While total dollars raised are increasing globally—US higher education saw a 6% rise to $61.5 billion in 2024—donor participation is declining, particularly among small-dollar and micro-donors. This trend threatens the sustainability of philanthropic pipelines. Giving Days respond by engaging broad communities, including students, young alumni (Millennials and Gen Z), and volunteers, often incorporating non-monetary participation such as mentorship and admissions support.<br /><br />Key strategies for success include multi-level donor engagement, early campus-wide kickoff events, targeted volunteer recruitment, focusing on singular impactful causes, and leveraging student-generated, authentic social media content. Local community involvement, celebratory events recognizing collaborators, and continuous data-driven strategic assessments also enhance outcomes. Most institutions plan to maintain or increase Giving Day resources, focusing on personalization, texting, and broader engagement.<br /><br />Giving Days have transcended fundraising alone, fostering unity, belonging, and a culture of generosity across institutions. They provide an inclusive platform where all supporters—from $10 micro-gifts to principal donors—can meaningfully participate. This broad participation is crucial to counterbalance the concentration of philanthropic dollars among ultra-high-net-worth donors. The report encourages institutions to integrate these insights into future Giving Day planning to strengthen engagement and secure lasting support for education.

Keywords

Giving Days

CASE Insights report

educational philanthropy

Almabase

fundraising events

donor engagement

higher education

philanthropic trends

student involvement

social media strategies