Dive Brief:

• The Giving USA Foundation’s new comprehensive report on charitable giving shows that American donations to education are up, reaching a record $52.07 billion in 2013 — an inflation-adjusted 7.4% increase from 2012.
• Of the total education donations, 60% to 70% went to higher education. Education drew the second-largest percentage of the $335.17 billion in total 2013 American donations to charity, with religious organizations in the top spot.
• Donations to education have picked up since the recession, when Americans gave an inflation-adjusted $47.97 billion in 2007, $38.84 billion in 2008, and even less in 2009. 

Dive Insight:

According to the report, education giving may have been hurt during the recession as other causes, such as hunger and poverty relief, took priority. But even though the level of education donations is up now, the fraction of alumni who give to colleges and universities is at a historic low, Insider Higher Ed reports. Alumni that do give, however, are giving more. One fundraising advantage that colleges and universities enjoy is the scope of causes they offer, including medical research, arts, and economic development. Another advantage is the number of professional fundraisers employed in the sector.