IDPE 2025 — Schools fundraising data
Independent schools
Prep, senior and boarding
State schools
Academies, MATs and maintained
Return on investment
~3:1
Average ROI across independent school development offices
7.5:1
Average ROI for state schools — more than double the independent school average
Average annual income raised
£535k
Sector average — rising to £2.16m for offices established 20+ years
£375k
Sector average for state schools — achieved with leaner teams and tighter budgets
Philanthropy as share of school income
5–20%
Average 5% of total income, rising to 20% in highest-income independent schools
Growing
State schools tripled their alumni income share — the fastest-growing segment in the sector
Major gifts
76%
Of all philanthropic income comes from major gifts — the highest-return activity
39%
Of income from regular giving — critical for building early donor pipelines in newer offices
50%
Increase in average funds raised per office since 2022
57%
Of all philanthropic income generated by schools with stable leadership
180
Schools across independent and state sectors surveyed for the 2025 report
Source: IDPE and Gifted Philanthropy Schools Fundraising and Engagement Benchmarking Report 2025, drawing on data from 180 schools across the 2022/23 and 2023/24 academic years. Independent school average ROI is derived from reported sector data; state school ROI of 7.5:1 is the figure cited in the Longhouse State Schools one-pager, consistent with IDPE 2025 findings.