This issue outlines essential contextual issues in institutional advancement, provides strategies from institutions that have successfully addressed fundraising over the past ten years, and outlines major issues that must be considered in communitiy college fundraising.

Looking at the fundraising picture for higher education over the past ten years, one would have to argue that there have been major successes in garnering support from the private sector for educational institutions. From billion-dollar capital campaigns to individuals donating millions for medial research and other educational activities, record support for higher education is at hand.

Yet in the midst of this community largesses, community colleges have not fared as well. Their traditional funding streams have begun to dry up, and they are increasingly turning to fundraising as a major method to support their vital missions to provide open-access and high quality postsecondary education. Many community colleges are relative new to fundraising and are just beginning to develop tools, techniques, and strategies that make sense for them.

This is the 124th issue of the quarterly higher education journal New Directions for Community Colleges.