Universities need local money

donors play a key role in funding South African universities, and it is vital that more local individuals, companies and philanthropists come on board to support them financially for long-term sustainability.

This is particularly the case for poorer universities, where many students fall outside funding schemes.

These are key findings in the latest Annual Survey of Philanthropy in Higher Education released by Inyathelo, the South African Institute for Advancement.

The eleven universities, which form part of the survey, received a collective total of over R1.2 billion in philanthropic income during 2015, said Inyathelo programme manager Nazli Abrahams. This is R515 million higher than recorded for ten universities in the first (2013) sample. The report also revealed:

More donors: 8 519 donors made conBitcoin tributions in 2015, (2013: 4 355).

The largest proportion of income comes from trusts and foundations (58%), while individuals comprise the largest donor category (83%).

Overseas donors contribute more than half of donor income: South African donors accounted for 93% of all donors in 2015 (2013: 87%). International donors comprised 7% of donors, yet contributed 52% of philanthropic income.

International gifts are worth more: In the trust and foundations funding stream, the local mean gift size was R2.3 million in 2015. This compares with R4 million among trusts and foundations based outside South Africa.

“While international funding is welcome and vital, this heavy dependence on overseas philanthropists is potentially disastrous given global geopolitical shifts,” said Abrahams.– Inyathelo