Research and Technology Partnership

FundMiner x CASE
A shared framework for Best Practices in Fund Management

In 2024, FundMiner partnered with CASE Insights on a two-year research initiative to understand how funds are actually managed across CASE member institutions. The result: a jointly published whitepaper on fund management guidelines for compliance, standards, and communication, with ongoing programming at CASE conferences nationwide.

Download the Whitepaper → Or schedule a discovery call
2 Years
CASE Insights research initiative on fund management, 2024–2026
31
Institutions represented in year-one roundtables
9
In-depth practitioner interviews conducted in year two
5+
Joint sessions and webinars presented at CASE events
Why This Partnership

A partnership built on a shared commitment to our industry.

CASE brings the community and insights to the advancement field, while FundMiner brings the data and tooling to act on it.

CASE

  • A trusted, member-driven body for the advancement field, including the CASE Global Reporting Standards
  • Access to 30+ member institutions for roundtables, interviews, and benchmarking
  • A platform to spotlight best practices across higher ed, from Emory to the University of Nebraska Foundation
  • A growing online community for fund management practitioners to connect and share resources

FundMiner

  • Real benchmarking data from the FundMiner Annual Benchmarking Survey, cited throughout the joint whitepaper
  • Hands-on product experience automating fund monitoring, compliance, and donor reporting at institutions like South Dakota State and UT El Paso
  • A research and content partnership that turns practitioner insight into industry-wide guidance
  • Ongoing presence at CASE conferences to keep fund management on the agenda, not just in the appendix
The Research

CASE Insights on Fund Management, in partnership with FundMiner.

Year one centered on a CASE member survey and four themed roundtables. Year two added nine practitioner interviews and fresh benchmarking data, culminating in a whitepaper on the current state of fund management.

01
Oversight, Transparency & Accountability
02
Common Standards in Fund Management
03
Impact & Financial Reporting
04
Monitoring, Hygiene & Best Practices
62.7%
of institutions report that more than 10% of their funds go unspent annually — 43.5% report more than 20% unspent
$10M
median value of unspent funds per institution, per FundMiner's 2026 Annual Benchmarking Survey
Free Whitepaper

Get the full whitepaper

Institutional profiles from Emory, the University of Nebraska Foundation, South Dakota State, Ohio State, Texas State, and UT El Paso — plus four imperatives for driving institutional progress.

"Stewardship is no longer just a function of advancement; it reflects how effectively the institution manages its commitments."

Haider Ali · Head of Strategic Partnerships & Marketing, FundMiner
Get the CASE Insights whitepaper
  • Sent instantly to your inbox
  • Co-published by CASE Insights and FundMiner
  • Insights from 31 CASE member institutions
On the Stage Together

Presenting alongside CASE and our member institutions.

Fall 2024
CASE/FundMiner Roundtable Series Launches

Four themed roundtables convene 30+ CASE member institutions to explore a common framework for fund management practices, guidelines, and standards.

April 1, 2025 · CUF 2025
CASE/FundMiner Advancement Roundtable Results: Architecting the Future of Fund Management

Chelsea Lamego (Co-Founder & CEO, FundMiner) and Aaron Rouse (Director of Fund Stewardship and Management, University of Nebraska Foundation) present findings from all four roundtable sessions.

View session →
April 7, 2025 · District IV Annual Conference
Leading Fund Management Programs at Organizations of Different Types and Sizes

Chelsea Lamego joins a panel with advancement leaders across the University of Texas System to discuss standardized, flexible compliance programs at scale.

View session →
2025 · CASE Learning Center
Fund Management Key Findings Webinar

Jenny Cooke Smith, Executive Director of CASE Insights, walks through the roundtable findings — oversight, standards, reporting, and data hygiene — and calls for continued community engagement.

Watch the recording →
2025 & 2026 · FOFM Conference
CASE Presents at FundMiner's Future of Fund Management Conference

CASE joins FundMiner's own Annual Conference, bringing standards expertise directly to the practitioner community.

April 9, 2026 · CUF 2026
Centralizing Fund Management for a Decentralized Campus: How Good Partnerships Deliver Value

Chelsea Lamego and Nicole McDonald (Controller, University of Wisconsin Foundation) explore how WFAA improved coordination between foundation staff, finance teams, and academic units.

View session →
July 2026 · Summit for Leaders in Advancement
Spending Money to Make Money: Activating Unused Philanthropic Funds

Grounded in CASE Insights research in partnership with FundMiner, this session tackles the "rainy day" mindset holding institutions back from activating unused funds. Brooks Hull (VP, University Advancement, Texas State University), Chelsea Lamego (CEO & Co-Founder, FundMiner), Joshua Newton (Senior VP, Advancement and Alumni Engagement, Emory University), and Liz Rothenberg (President, Rothenberg Research) share how activating funds and communicating impact today lays the foundation for giving tomorrow.

July 2026 · Summit for Leaders in Advancement
The Invisible Tsunami: What Data Reveals About the Future of Advancement

Chelsea Lamego draws on proprietary FundMiner benchmarking data to explore the growing gap between rising donor expectations and the systems institutions currently operate with — and what it means for advancement leaders preparing for what's next.

Where to Find Us

FundMiner at CASE events in 2026.

As a CASE Educational Partner, FundMiner exhibits at conferences across the country all year. Stop by and say hello.

District I & II Annual Conference
Feb 17–19, 2026
Boston, MA
District VII & VIII Annual Conference
Mar 8–10, 2026
San Diego, CA
District IV Annual Conference
Apr 19–21, 2026
Dallas, TX
District V & VI Annual Conference
Apr 27–29, 2026
Indianapolis, IN
Annual Conference for Donor Relations Professionals
Jun 3–5, 2026
New Orleans, LA
Conference for College and University Foundations (CUF)
Jun 8–10, 2026
Seattle, WA
Summit for Leaders in Advancement
Jul 20–22, 2026
Seattle, WA
Conference for Community College Advancement (CCCA)
Oct 7–9, 2026
Palm Springs, CA
In Their Words

From the roundtables and the research.

We found ourselves asking, 'How do we have the next conversation around ensuring that the work we are doing can really adhere to these standards?' And that was part of the impetus as we thought about this project.

JC
Jenny Cooke Smith
Executive Director, CASE Insights

We have a FundMiner partnership and that has been really useful. We are spending less time gathering and pushing out the information and more time strategizing around the funds we have.

CP
Carolyn Poss
VP for Philanthropic Fulfillment, South Dakota State University Alumni & Foundation