New Study Identified Drivers of Family Giving

Higher education leaders can adjust fundraising strategies by focusing on student success and family trust.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Philanthropy

Bold flat-color editorial illustration depicting a stylized stone collegiate archway, representing structural institutional support in higher education. — A 2026 national report from Encoura and CampusESP identifies student outcomes and institutional trust as primary drivers for family giving in higher education. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should universities prioritize building long-term family relationships to encourage charitable giving?

Encoura and CampusESP have released the 2026 National Study on family giving to higher education, which analyzed input from more than 8,300 family members. The report aims to help institutional operators understand the factors that motivate charitable contributions.

Why it matters

The findings suggest that engagement strategies rooted in transparent communication and student-centered outcomes are essential to driving philanthropic growth. This shift highlights how institutions can leverage existing relationships to build long-term institutional support.

The report surveyed over 8,300 family members to identify key motivations for philanthropic engagement. Whether these findings correlate with specific year-over-year increases in donation volume remains a target for further institutional analysis.

The players

Encoura

A data and analytics firm that provides enrollment and advancement solutions for the higher education sector.

CampusESP

A software provider focused on family engagement tools for colleges and universities to improve student persistence and fundraising.

The details

The report, titled Drivers of Family Giving: The 2026 National Study, highlights three core pillars for engagement: student success, institutional trust, and meaningful relationships. Operators should evaluate their current communication funnels to ensure they explicitly connect donor contributions to student impact. By aligning messaging with these identified motivators, institutions aim to move beyond generic solicitation toward sustained partnership.

September 29, 2026: The 2026 National Study was officially released.

Market Landscape

The study arrives as higher education institutions increasingly pivot toward data-driven donor engagement strategies. This research follows a pattern of prioritizing institutional trust and student impact to combat stagnant participation rates.

Development officers should audit current outreach materials to ensure they highlight student success and trust-building touchpoints. Leaders can use these findings to restructure engagement programs that rely on outdated solicitation-only models.

The takeaway

The report underscores that donor loyalty in education is built on tangible student outcomes rather than institutional legacy alone. Operators should monitor the specific communication channels that produce the highest engagement rates to optimize their long-term fundraising pipeline.