What Determines Alumni Generosity? Evidence for the UK

This paper examines the scale and determinants of alumni giving, using datasets from two public-sector, doctoral-granting universities in the UK. The importance of alumni generosity-both as revenue and as a performance measure-is considered, comparing new UK evidence with extant findings on US donor behaviour. Evidence is presented on systematic differences in alumni generosity, based on personal characteristics, solicitation efficiency, and the characteristics and quality of the Higher Education received by graduates. Distinguishing the propensity to give from the scale of giving, there are evident differences by gender, income, by type of campaign and by subject studied.