Exploring departmental-level fundraising: Relationship-based factors affecting giving intention in arts higher education

Fundraising for higher education institutions is becoming more important as there is increasingly limited government funding for public education. With shrinking funding, university programs and departments may be expected to raise more income on their own. This study hypothesizes that higher levels of stakeholders’ (students and alumni) knowledge, awareness, involvement, satisfaction, and relationship with the department and its fundraising efforts are positively associated with fundraising success measured in intention to give and likelihood to recommend others to give. By using mixed methods research design and relationship fundraising as a theoretical framework, the study found that satisfaction and relationship are the most significant variables positively affecting giving intention. The qualitative results can explain why these variables matter to stakeholders’ intentions to give. Using a case study approach of examining one university’s arts administration department fundraising practice and its relationship to stakeholders, this research initiates academic and practical discussion on effective fundraising for higher education units.