About the survey
This survey of gift revenue and fundraising costs has been carried out each year for the last ten years to measure the philanthropic performance of Higher Education and Further Education institutions. It is the only source of information on this subject in the UK, enabling institutions to compare themselves with their peers. It also provides an estimate of the overall impact of philanthropy on the Higher Education sector.
Is the survey UK-wide?
Yes. All Higher Education institutions in the UK are invited to participate in this survey. We would like to have as full a picture as possible of philanthropic activity across the country. Participation from institutions not involved in the matched-funding schemes in England and Wales and those outside England and Wales remains extremely important to the survey.
Using the results of the survey
Overall results from the survey will be collated to identify general trends as well as to make comparisons between institutions. Individual institutions are able to request a benchmarking report which compares their results with those of at least six peer institutions. They also have the opportunity to join in a group of institutions who agree to share, on a confidential basis, their full questionnaire returns. Further details of how data will be used can be found in the survey’s Data Release Protocol.
What is the significance of the Ross-CASE survey in relation to the Matched Funding Scheme?
The 2007-8 survey (completed in January 2009) provided the baseline figures for the government matched funding scheme in England (which started on 1 August 2008), which is being operated by HEFCE. For applicants to the matched funding scheme in England, participation in the 2010-11 survey is mandatory.
The Welsh Assembly Government has recently decided to implement a matched funding scheme for Welsh institutions to increase and expand the fundraising capacity of Welsh universities. This £10 million matched funding scheme will run for three years starting in the academic year 2009-10. For applicants to the matched funding scheme in Wales, participation in the 2010-11 survey is mandatory.
What is the difference between this survey and the Matched Giving Claim Form completed for the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)/Return Form completed for the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW)?
There are key differences between the Ross-CASE survey and the HEFCE-run Matched Giving Claim form/HEFCW-run Return Form. Completion of the Ross-CASE survey is not related to the process of getting funding from HEFCE/HEFCW under the Matched funding schemes. The Ross-CASE survey is broader in scope, aims to provide an annual snapshot of all aspects of the philanthropic performance of Higher Education institutions, and does not require sign-off by Financial Directors. The HEFCE/HEFCW forms cover only eligible gifts, do require sign-off by Financial Directors, and will be used to assess any claim for matched funding.
The definitions of funding, income and costs for both the Ross-CASE survey and the HEFCE/HEFCW forms are in general the same, but there are some sources of income that do not count toward the Matched Giving Schemes. See the specific directions.
If you have any further queries about the matched funding scheme in England please consult http://www.hefce.ac.uk/finance/fundinghe/vol/faq/ or email matchedfunding@hefce.ac.uk. If you have any further queries about the matched funding scheme in Wales please consult www.hefcw.ac.uk or email ewen.brierley@hefcw.ac.uk.
Participation
The survey takes the form of a self-completion questionnaire in Excel format which will be available to download from this website.
The timetable for the 2010-11 survey can be found here.