One of the broad structural problems underlying these more-discussed abuses is the fast and easy approach many schools take to donor intent. In September of last year, for instance, I wrote about the University of New Hampshire’s decision to use most of a surprise $4 million bequest from a frugal librarian towards a giant scoreboard in the new football stadium. This was allowed to happen because the librarian hadn’t stipulated what UNH was and was not allowed to use the money for (aside from $100,000 towards the library where he had worked for nearly fifty years).

Donors who want to ensure their dollars wind up supporting a specific program or department have to be more careful. This can seem a tall order—navigating the complicated world of higher education philanthropy requires insider knowledge, specialized skills, and institutional intelligence that many causal donors simply don’t have.

Enter the Fund for Academic Renewal (FAR), a program of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) charged with “assist[ing] donors in designing gifts—both large and small—that can be tailored to their individual interests and financial circumstances.” Though FAR has existed within ACTA for several decades, a recent $4.5 million dollar grant from the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation has allowed the Fund to expand its footprint.

Read the source article at Philanthropy Daily