Gaps in Stewardship Quality at Three Institutions

Abstract

This research examines how major gift donors form expectations and perceptions of stewardship provided by higher education institutions. The findings were analyzed using an adaptation of Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry's (1985) Quality Service Gap Model. The subjects in this research were major gift donors and development officers at three institutions in the western region of the United States. The three institutions were Big State University, a land grant university; Midsize University, a regional midsize public university; and Small College, a small private institution. Modifications to the Gap Model used in the study were based on a search of the literature, primarily from communication and marketing theories (e.g., social exchange theory, norm of reciprocity, attribution and equity theories), as well as professional fundraising literature. A total of 30 major gift donors and 74 development officers participated in the entire study. Major findings in the study substantiate the existence of communication gaps, which reduce donor perceptions of stewardship quality at all three institutions. Recommendations for further study include expanding the study by creating a quantitative instrument to further assess stewardship efforts at other higher education institutions, as well as different types of fund-raising organizations (e.g., health service organizations, zoos, symphony orchestras, and so forth).