Institutional Advancement Concurrent Session: Conservative Philanthropy Goes to Law School: A Practical Discussion of Opportunities and Challenges

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Session Type: Subsessions

Session Capacity: N/A

Location: Washington Marriott Wardman Park Hotel

Room: Washington 4

Floor: Exhibition Level

Ideologically-driven giving to higher education is nothing new, but recent years have seen an explosion of donations from conservative donors. While the Koch Foundations represent the most high-profile examples of this trend, conservative alumni and benefactors are increasingly seeking to give with the express intent of ensuring that their values are reflected in the institutions they care about. This represents an opportunity for institutions to deepen engagement and philanthropy with conservative benefactors and with a segment of the alumni base which often feels unwelcome on campus. At the same time, these gifts can present significant challenges for deans and development officers. Intended as a discussion, this session will help attendees think through the opportunities and challenges associated with conservative philanthropy, including identifying non-alumni prospects, creating meaningful engagement, working with hands-on donors, and navigating concerns from students, faculty and other alumni.