UNCF Detroit Receives $10,000 From NFL Draft Auction

Among 20 Charities Receiving Proceeds

UNCF (United Negro College Fund) Detroit is proud to announce it is among 20 nonprofit organizations addressing important causes including historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to receive the proceeds from a special auction held during the weekend of the recent NFL draft held in Detroit.

The DCLEATED art installation – made up of 20 oversized cleat sculptures painted by local Detroit artists – are being auctioned off online by Visit Detroit and the Detroit Sports Commission to benefit area charities including UNCF.

An anonymous donor gifted UNCF Detroit $10,000 for a cleat sculpture sold during the NFL Draft auction. The sculpture was designed by Detroit pop artist and designer Marlo Broughton.

“We are thrilled UNCF Detroit was selected to be a part of this historic project, which has provided great exposure for the work UNCF is doing to help underrepresented students to go to and through college,” said Patrice M. Neal, area development director, UNCF Detroit. “We are grateful to talented artist Marlo Broughton for selecting UNCF as his charity of choice.”

The DCLEATED project, led by the City of Detroit and City Walls, was launched ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft to showcase the talent of local artists while raising awareness and funds for vital Detroit-based causes.

The online auction went live on April 5. The auction will close at 11:30 p.m. on Friday, May 3. Bidding starts at $2,500 per cleat, with the option to purchase a cleat for $10,000. Bidders will also have the option to donate online, with all funds being split evenly amongst the 20 charities.

In celebration of the big NFL draft weekend, which attracts a worldwide audience, Prop Art Studios fabricated 20 colossal football cleats which were customized by talented local Detroit artists. Each artist chose a Detroit-based cause, nonprofit, or charity and has partnered with local organizations for a unique project: designing custom cleats to uplift important causes they’re passionate about.

The cleats are on display throughout the month of April in and around the heart of downtown Detroit, as well as at Detroit Metropolitan Airport and Coleman A. Young International Airport.

To support UNCF Detroit, click here.

###

About UNCF

UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. While totaling only 3% of all colleges and universities, UNCF institutions and other historically Black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 15% of bachelor’s degrees, 5% of master’s degrees, 10% of doctoral degrees and 19% of all STEM degrees earned by Black students in higher education. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 50,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, ‟A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”^® Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on X (formerly Twitter) at @UNCF.