A number of historically black colleges and universities have begun to expand their development offices to solicit donations from older alumni more effectively, reports USA Today. Many school administrators say rising education costs and shrinking government budgets make it necessary to shift from traditional sources of funds, such as corporate donations, to new sources of income.

Cheryl Hitchcock, vice president of institutional advancement at Baltimore’s Morgan State, said that some schools are trying to personalize their fund-raising tactics.

Michael Lomax, president of the United Negro College Fund, added that the baby boomer generation of alumni represents a unique opportunity for historically black colleges and universities to gain ground quickly in donations. He said, “There’s a new recognition that there is wealth out there in the African-American community and that the colleges have a strong claim on it.”