$6M Anonymous Donation Supports Livingstone College’s Revitalization Project

Livingstone College, a UNCF-member institution, received a total of $6 million in anonymous donations earlier this year, which it is using for renovations and repairs, according to an article in Queen City News (WJZY). A mystery donor provided six unrestricted $1 million donations over the course of six months.

The campus’ brick-and-mortar buildings and infrastructure require upgrades. This year, the college saw a 34 percent increase in new students, part of a trend being seen at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across the nation.

Livingstone College’s President Anthony J. Davis is overseeing a $30 million campus revitalization project. The college has not required loans for the project, thanks to support from alumni, donors and other benefactors. Livingstone College plans to complete renovations in five phases, with phase one—new residence halls and a new dining facility—currently under construction. Phase one is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024.

Nearly half of HBCUs urgently need critical repairs, according to a study from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and UNCF’s latest report on the economic impact of HBCUs. Nearly two-thirds of UNCF’s 37 member institutions have more than $5 million in deferred maintenance costs, and public HBCUs on average have more than $60 million in deferred maintenance costs, according to the GAO.

HBCUs have smaller endowments than non-HBCUs, the result of a history of underfunding both federally and privately. This is why public support and donations to HBCUs is so important.