Abstract
United States and Canadian trends in corporate philanthropy and support of higher education are presented for the past 11 to 15 years. Comparative analyses reveal different corporate priorities and giving agendas which signal the need for unique approaches to university and college fund raising in each country. Though the percentage of U.S. corporate contributions allocated to higher education has not changed in 11 years, Canada's institutions of higher education appear to be competing directly with beneficiaries in culture and the arts, in terms of annual corporate giving priorities. Regarding allocations for various purposes within higher education, U.S. firms tend to have sponsorship agendas that follow established priorities and are programmatic in nature, unlike Canadian companies whose support for these purposes has varied considerably. This gives university and college fund raisers in Canada an opportunity to establish and nurture long-term programs of corporate support for capital projects, research, and student financial aid.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Annual Survey of Corporate Contributions (1982–1986). An analysis of survey data for calender years 1980–1984. New York: The Conference Board. (Report nos. for calender years are: no. 822–1980, no. 833–1981, no. 848–1982, no. 869–1983, no. 882–1984.)
--. (1980). A collection of survey data for the calendar year 1978. New York: The Conference Board. Report no. 779.
The Business Community and the University: The Need for Collaboration (1983). Collected papers from a conference held in Edmonton, Alberta, April 17–19. Ottawa: The Institute for Research on Public Policy.
Chronicle of Higher Education (1986a). Footnotes. January 29, p. 4.
--. (1986b). Corporate gifts to education rise sharply. January 15, p. 21.
Davenport, Paul (1981). Federal funding of university education. In D. M. Nowlan and R. Bellaire (eds.),Financing Canadian Universities: For Whom and By Whom? Toronto: Institute for Policy Analysis, University of Toronto.
Fry, Louis W., Keim, Gerald D., and Meiners, Roger E. (1982). Corporate contributions: Altruistic or for-profit?Academy of Management Journal, 25(1): 94–106.
Gupta, Jaydeep (1983). Corporate contribution to higher education in Canada. Unpublished M.B.A. research paper, Faculty of Commerce and Administration, Concordia University, Montreal.
Hollie, Pamela G. (1987). Why business is barging into the classroom.The New York Times, July 12, p. 6.
Hurlbut, Robert S. (1972). Part I: Effectiveness in corporate giving. InEffectiveness and Innovation in Corporate Giving (Proceedings of the Working Conference on Company Contributions Held in Toronto, September 30 and October 1, 1971. Ottawa: The Conference Board in Canada.
Institute of Donations and Public Affairs Research (IDPAR) (1976–1987).Corporate Giving in Canada. Montreal. Annual publication of corporate giving for the years 1975–1986.
--. (1984a).Corporate Giving in Canada, 1983 (CGIC, 1983): A Special Summary. Montreal.
Martin, Samuel A. (1985).An Essential Grace: Funding Canada's Health Care, Education, Welfare, Religion and Culture. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart.
McDonald, Kim (1986). Strength of U.S. said to depend on universities.Chronicle of Higher Education, January 29, pp. 1, 14.
Ryerson Corporate Services (1973–1975).Corporate Giving in Canada. Annual publication of corporate giving for the years 1972–1974. Montreal: The Ryerson Group Ltd.
Services Division, Corporate (1972).Corporate Giving in Canada, 1971. Montreal: G. A. Brakeley & Co. Ltd.
Statistics Canada (1986).Education Statistics Bulletin, Vol. 8, No. 4 (Catalogue 81-002), p. 7, Table 1.
--. (1985).Education Statistics Bulletin (Catalogue 81-002), p. 5, Table 1.
--. (1983).Education Statistics Bulletin (Catalogue 81-002), p. 3, Table 1.
--. (1982).Education in Canada: A Statistical Review for 1981–82 (Catalogue 81–229).
Webb, David C. (1972). Part II: Innovative versus traditional giving. InEffectiveness and Innovation in Corporate Giving (Proceedings of the Working Conference on Company Contributions Held in Toronto, September 30 and October 1, 1971. Ottawa: The Conference Board in Canada.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Muller, T.E., Sepehri, V.A. Corporate support of higher education: Trends in Canada and the United States. Res High Educ 28, 160–179 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00992889
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00992889