College philanthropy has held up amid broader higher education disruption, with total giving estimated at $78.8 billion in fiscal 2025—up 4% year over year, according to a Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) annual study. CASE said the growth was “just enough to keep up with inflation,” suggesting donor confidence remains intact but cautious. The report also details uneven patterns: alumni donors gave less in count terms even as total alumni giving increased, while committed funds rose for a similar share of institutions. CASE reports that most gifts still support current operations but with slightly reduced emphasis on endowment and long-term restricted purposes. For development offices and boards, the key operational implication is budgeting and capital planning. Institutions may rely more on near-term cash stability while recalibrating endowment and restricted-fund growth strategies amid federal funding turbulence and state support pressures.