Fundraising challenges and expectations facing university presidents: A qualitative multiple case study analysis of public university presidents

As public universities face rising costs and diminishing state budget allocations, they are forced to seek new or enhanced revenue streams. Their presidents are expected to lead these efforts, which increasingly include the pursuit of private gifts, especially large ones. The combined pressures of falling funding, rising costs, and fundraising can generate high levels of stress and place significant demands on the leadership abilities of university presidents. First-time presidents often face expectations to lead large capital campaigns and secure transformational gifts, while having limited training and experience in the area of higher education fundraising. Both personal solicitation of an institution’s most impactful gifts and providing executive leadership to a campaign are daunting tasks for most new presidents, very few of whom have full-time professional experience in educational advancement. The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions and experiences of university presidents regarding the fundraising expectations they face, preparedness, experience, and related confidence. This qualitative study will utilize a multiple case study design and a setting of six, public, regional universities in the United States. The six cases will be the six presidents of these universities, who are selected using purposeful sampling. Through this study, the researcher seeks to better understand how university presidents perceive the fundraising expectations of their positions and how their own backgrounds and training have prepared them to meet these expectations. With this understanding, the study will provide recommendations for prospective presidents to better prepare for this aspect of the presidency and for current presidents to achieve greater confidence and success leading fundraising efforts that produce positive outcomes.