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Emily Koons Jae: Executive Director of ACTA’s Fund for Academic Renewal
Emily Koons Jae serves as Director of the Fund for Academic Renewal (FAR), a program of ACTA that works closely...
‘Targeted giving is a powerful lever for change in higher education,’ advisors say.
In an economic upheaval, an influential philanthropy guide encourages donors to strongly consider directing gifts towards college programs that boost student outcomes and prepare graduates for careers.
With this approach, donors can avoid having their gifts placed in a general fund, where they have less control over its impact, according to the third edition of the “Intelligent Donor’s Guide to College Giving” from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni.
“Targeted giving is a powerful lever for change in higher education, generating innovative new programs on campus,” said Emily Koons Jae, director of the Council’s Fund for Academic Renewal. “Through restricted gifts, alumni have the opportunity to share not only their financial resources but also their vision and values.”
The guide notes that, according to U.S. Trust, donors gave $47 billion to higher education during the 2017–2018 academic year, but only 42% of philanthropists “believe their giving is having the impact they intended.”
The guide encourages donors to think beyond their alma maters if those institutions are large and well-endowed. It also suggests that donors focused on expanding access to higher ed consider giving to a community college.
The report also counsels donors that their gifts may have a bigger impact if the funds create a new program or suport a research project.
The guide also recommends that donors:
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Emily Koons Jae serves as Director of the Fund for Academic Renewal (FAR), a program of ACTA that works closely...
A few weeks ago, Ken Griffin’s $300 million contribution to Harvard University inspired an op-ed in Inside Philanthropy calling on universities to be more circumspect in allowing naming rights. Named gifts are easy targets for criticism, and many wealthy donors have been accused of making charitable contributions out of mere vanity or as a Quixotic attempt to cheat death.
My research is focused on the complexity of the philanthropy space – how to understand and navigate it. There is far more to private giving for the public good than most people realize, but I also do not want people to feel overwhelmed.
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