Defining Philanthropy
Education Foundations Serve Mountain State Students
LORI KERSEY
Colleges and universities across the Mountain State educate West Virginia citizenry and enrich the lives of residents in their communities , but they can ’ t do it all on their own . That ’ s where education foundations come in .
Education foundations are defined as separate 501 ( c )( 3 ) charitable organizations that exist to help support students , research and learning at colleges and universities . These foundations raise and manage private support for their institutions while honoring donor intent .
“ Since most college and university foundations are affiliated with public colleges and universities , the charitable support they raise and manage goes directly to helping state institutions achieve their missions ,” says Brian Flahaven , vice president of strategic partnerships for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education ( CASE ), a global nonprofit association dedicated to educational advancement .
“ When public colleges and universities invest in fundraising
and foundations , the state can see a significant return on investment , generating more private dollars directly benefiting students , local communities and the state .”
More than 3,100 colleges and universities , primary and secondary independent and international schools and nonprofit organizations in 82 countries are members of CASE . The organization serves more than 90,000 practitioners . Its mission is to inspire , challenge and equip communities of professionals to act effectively and with integrity to champion the success of their institutions .
Roughly 1,400 college and university foundations exist in the U . S . Of those , 500 are affiliated with four-year public colleges and universities , and 900 are affiliated with community colleges or community college systems .
“ There are many standout college and university foundations across the country and in the state of West Virginia ,” says Flahaven .
Education foundations support their institutions in a variety
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE