About the Campaign
We have before us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for transformational change to enhance HBCUs and improve the lives of generations of students. Our goal is to mobilize a nationwide network of donors to address historical inequality and underfunding of these institutions.
HBCUs have an unmatched ability to lift students from lower rungs of the socioeconomic ladder into the middle class. The impact of greater social mobility is felt not only by graduates but also their families and communities. The campaign seeks to raise $1 billion through 2027 for UNCF’s 37 member institutions.
Find out more about the five pillars of transformation—and how your support can accelerate UNCF’s impact.
Uplift Impact
UNCF’s support can have a dramatic and lasting impact: Students with renewable scholarships at HBCUs see retention rates rise to 70%, from 42%. And they go on to earn $53 billion more over the course of their careers.
Uplift students and communities
UNCF seeks to expand its scholarships and support programs to improve student outcomes.
Why it Matters
HBCUs serve more economically disenfranchised students than most U.S. institutions while also facilitating the upward mobility of the majority of their students. Seventy percent of HBCU students are from households with an annual income of less than $35,000, and more than 90% qualify for federal or state financial aid.
An HBCU graduate working full-time throughout his or her working life can expect to earn $1,036,403 in additional income due to a college credential.
70%
of HBCU students are from households with annual income of less than $35,000
Strengthen Impact
In 10 to 15 years, the pooled endowment fund managed by UNCF could be providing more than $1 million a year to member institutions for operations. These funds will enable institutions to focus on and invest more in long-term strategy, growth initiatives, and high-impact priorities as they direct operational funds to areas such as maintenance and faculty and staff salaries.
Strengthen our Network of Member HBCUs
UNCF will increase unrestricted endowments and shore up faculty and staff endowments through a pooled endowment fund.
Why it Matters
Eleven UNCF member institutions currently have endowments of less than $10 million. The lack of unrestricted endowment funds means HBCUs have less money for operations, hiring, and other expenses, including maintenance and infrastructure. Further, the disparity between HBCUs and non-HBCUs is striking: Private HBCUs have an average endowment of $25,390 per student, compared with $184,409 per student for private non-HBCUs.
11
UNCF member institutions have endowments of less than $10 million
Build Impact
Since 2016, 42 HBCUs have joined the ICB network as transformation partners to advance strategic priorities through institutional collaboration. UNCF’s Career Pathways Initiative, or CPI (supported by a $50 million grant from Lilly Endowment), significantly improved the transition of HBCU graduates into careers. And HBCUv was developed with nine of UNCF’s member institutions with the goal of making higher education more accessible and collaborative.
CPI impact by the numbers
Participating institutions reported the following improvements thanks to CPI’s programming:
– Median job placement increased 27%.
– Graduates’ median salaries rose 21%.
– CPI institutions reported a 184% increase in service learning.
– The CPI cohort achieved a 40% increase in the median number of student internships completed.
Build Capacity For Change
UNCF will fund capacity and skill building for HBCUs so they can better engage and support students.
Why it Matters
The higher education landscape is constantly evolving, so HBCUs must forge new paths to advance their respective missions. To that end, UNCF in 2006 formed the Institute for Capacity Building (ICB) to build on its heritage of supporting HBCUs and their outsize impact on student success and community progress. ICB focuses on institutional transformation and educational equity by giving HBCUs the guidance, resources, and capabilities to reimagine how they serve students.
2006
UNCF formed the Institute for Capacity Building (ICB)
Fortify Impact
UNCF has raised more than $6 billion and supported in excess of 550,000 students to become college graduates over its 80-plus-year history.
Fortify UNCF Now and Going Forward
UNCF will direct funds to the support its critical programming and ensure continued resilience.
Why it Matters
Over more than 80 years of operation, UNCF has built a platform to support member institutions, offer scholarships to students, and act as a powerful advocate for federal funding.
80+
years of operation, during which UNCF has supported member institutions
Sustain Impact
In the final two years of the capital campaign (2027 and 2028), UNCF will allocate a total of $200 million to fund its existing operations and continue supporting HBCUs and their students.
Sustain the Annual Campaign
UNCF seeks to expand operations over time to have a greater impact on students, HBCUs, their communities, and society at large.
Why it Matters
We envision a future in which all students have access to a top-tier education and experience at HBCUs. UNCF’s funding and expanded operations will enable more support and resources for HBCUs and students and attract top talent to UNCF—innovators, thinkers, and change-makers who will bring in the next era of strategic growth. This pillar offers the general public an opportunity to join the movement and support UNCF’s mission.
$200M
Total UNCF will allocate to fund existing operations and support HBCUs