In a short membership survey conducted in June in partnership with Marts & Lundy UK, IDPE members were asked to share the impact of the pandemic on their school’s fundraising and engagement programme.
Of the member schools that responded to the survey, 54 per cent saw an increase in philanthropic income compared to the pre-pandemic period, 55 per cent of schools reported an increase in the number of individuals attending virtual events, and 50 per cent saw an increase in the number of alumni volunteering. Whilst the long-term impact of the pandemic remains unknown, in many cases, the short-term response from school communities has been to give. In fact, in those schools where there was a Covid-specific appeal, the average philanthropic income was 39 per cent higher.
Of course, it hasn’t all been positive. Some schools furloughed staff, fundraising campaigns were paused or delayed and many schools have had to consider how they will create positive change in the context of the Black Lives Matter and Everyone’s Invited movements.
Numerous examples of generosity
However, from IDPE’s survey and annual conference in June, we have seen numerous examples of generosity in school communities and an ongoing, and often strengthened, desire to give. These ranged from volunteers giving their time to present careers talks online or mentor school leavers and graduates to generous donations to bursary appeals and hardship funds used to support families affected by the pandemic.
Given the integral role school communities have played in the last 18 months – and will undoubtedly continue to play in supporting young people in the future – we wanted to recognise the impact of such giving in schools. That’s why IDPE is launching its inaugural Giving Week, celebrating philanthropy and engagement in schools. All the details are below, and you can find out more on our website.
IDPE Giving Week: Monday, 15 November to Sunday, 21 November
The IDPE Giving Week will be an opportunity for all schools to come together and celebrate the generosity of our communities. We invite all schools to participate no matter where they are on their development journey. Â
Join us this November to share stories of generosity in your school community. You could get involved by:
- Celebrating the history of giving within your schoolÂ
- Thanking your community for its generosityÂ
- Recruiting new volunteers to support your careers programme
- Holding a giving day, a 24-hour digitally-driven fundraising and engagement campaign that brings together the school community
- Sharing stories of the impact of philanthropy on young people
#IDPEGivingWeek. For further information please visit the IDPE website.