The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that influenced the decision to enter into a 1billionfundraisingcampaignbytwopublichighereducationinstitutions.Theresearchwasguidedbytwoquestions:Whatfactorsinfluencedthedecisiontoenterintoa1 billion or more fundraising campaign in each of the two public higher education institutions? Were there factors shared by both institutions, and were differences apparent?
Data were collected from 14 in-depth interviews with presidents, vice presidents for development, fundraising volunteers, fundraising campaign consultants, and other members of the staff who were familiar with the factors that entered into the decision to set the fundraising campaign goal at 1billionattheUniversityofTennesseeandtheUniversityofMarylandCollegePark.Fourkeyfactorscommontobothinstitutionsemerged:Volunteersservinginfundraisingrolesfortheuniversitywereveryinfluential,volunteersservinginfundraisingrolesalsoservedontheboardsofoversightandusedthispositiontoinfluencetheacceptanceofthe1 billion campaign, prior fundraising success encouraged volunteers serving in fundraising roles to push for the 1billionfundraisinggoal,andvolunteerandadministrativeleadershipignoredthe800 million recommendation of their consultant’s feasibility study. Fundraising volunteers appeared to have had considerably more influence at these institutions than any other single factor in entering into a $1 billion fundraising campaign. The findings are discussed in chapter 6, as are a discussion, methodological considerations, and recommendations for future research