Colleges and universities are operating in one of the toughest advancement climates in years.
Alumni participation is soft, and teams are stretched thin. Every campaign is expected to prove its return. Layer in enrollment uncertainty and the very public questioning of higher education’s value, and it’s no surprise institutions are rethinking where their next wave of philanthropic growth might come from.
For many, the answer isn’t out there, somewhere. It’s already deeply involved.
It’s families.
Families are more connected than we think
For today’s parents and supporters, college isn’t a distant memory. It’s the focus of their energy right now, as they check in with their child, read email updates from campus and, yes, pay the tuition bill. They’re asking questions about career outcomes and mental health resources. They’re deeply invested — emotionally and financially.
The 2025 CampusESP Family Survey, which includes responses from more than 30,000 families, makes that clear:
- One-third feel more connected to their student’s institution than to their own alma mater.
- 22% say they’re more likely to donate to their student’s college than the one they attended.
- Nearly 40% want more opportunities to be involved.
When families feel connected — not just informed, but included — giving starts to feel like a natural extension of their support. As outlined in this look at why engaged families give more, consistent engagement builds trust. Trust, in turn, lowers the barrier to philanthropy.
The institutions seeing results start with belonging, not the ask
The schools making real progress in parent giving aren’t leading with a donation button. They’re building relationships first.
At the University of Oregon, parent engagement and philanthropy are intentionally connected from the moment a student enrolls.
“We want to foster a robust culture of philanthropy that engages families at the onset of their student’s journey,” said Amy Swank, Senior Director of Parent & Family Engagement & Philanthropy. “Strategic engagement allows us to build long-term relationships and have more meaningful conversations about impact.”
That approach paid off. When families were fully integrated into the Ducks Give campaign, Giving Day participation grew in measurable ways.
The University of Delaware saw similar momentum. By aligning parent communications with advancement outreach, the institution realized a 49% increase in donations from first-year families. The shift wasn’t about more emails. It was about coordinated messaging and clearer pathways for families to see where they fit.
As Tracy Smith, UD’s Director of Parent & Family Giving and Student Life Philanthropy, put it, “Families want to feel connected to their student’s journey. A contributor to our success has been establishing relationships with families early in their UD journey.”
Engagement builds affinity. Data makes it scalable.
Connection is powerful. But it’s data that turns connection into strategy.
Institutions that track how families engage — event attendance, content interaction, volunteer interest, survey responses — gain a clearer picture of readiness to give. They’re able to move from broad appeals to more personalized outreach.
In a CampusESP review of five institutions and more than 156,000 families, campuses reported:
- A 2× increase in Giving Day donations from parents
- A 25% increase in donor participation in year one of structured parent giving initiatives
When engagement data was layered with wealth indicators, major gift prospects can be identified within family populations. For advancement teams looking to grow pipelines without dramatically expanding staff, that visibility matters.
An opportunity hiding in plain sight
For years, family engagement has often been positioned as a hospitality or communications function within student affairs.
But when engagement is tracked intentionally and aligned with advancement strategy, it becomes something else entirely: a growth lever.
Family giving represents a near-term revenue opportunity that’s directly tied to current student impact — scholarships, career services, mental health support, emergency funds. And because families are already invested in their student’s success, messaging grounded in student outcomes resonates in a way traditional alumni appeals sometimes don’t.
In a fundraising environment defined by volatility and pressure, institutions that treat families as partners — not just payers — are building something steadier: a more resilient philanthropic future.
