By: Kyra Robinson
What have you done for HBCUs lately?
I posed this question to Historically Black College and University alumni several years ago in a published article on philanthropic giving.
It remains relevant as HBCUs are discussed in higher education circles and beyond. While there is much to celebrate about these storied institutions, funding and giving are at the center of important, ongoing conversations.
As an HBCU advocate and self-described “HBCU Champion,” I strive to share the HBCU story and empower the beloved HBCU community – alumni, students, employees, educators and supporters – to stay engaged with these institutions and committed to their sustainability, significance and future. HBCUs and the young people they serve still urgently need greater investment.
HBCUs’ historic underfunding and smaller endowments are well documented. The U.S. Departments of Education and Agriculture under the Biden Administration reported that land-grant HBCUs in 16 states had a funding disparity of approximately $12 to $13 billion over several decades. Similarly, at UNCF’s Unite 2025 conference, President and CEO Dr. Michael Lomax highlighted the asset inequities between HBCUs and non-HBCUs, noting that "the combined endowments of all HBCUs total approximately $7 billion compared to Harvard University's single endowment of $60 billion."
Philanthropists Michael Bloomberg, Reed Hastings, MacKenzie Scott and others have given extraordinary gifts to HBCUs and HBCU-affiliated organizations. But, relying on external entities, such as African-American celebrities, governmental agencies, charitable foundations and corporations, is not a practical or long-term strategy.
The central question – what have you done for HBCUs lately - sparks spirited discussions on social media and elsewhere and often leads to other questions. Does our "HBCU Pride" extend beyond homecomings or reunions? Do we strengthen HBCUs with our gifts – financial or otherwise? Should others contribute if we don't?
According to Forbes, the most recent data available cites that HBCU alumni giving rates have stayed around 10 percent for several decades, though it varies from college to college. U.S. News & World Report states the 2023 to 2024 national average rate was 8.6 percent.
Yet, many factors prevent some alumni from donating financially. Insights from articles in Kolumn Magazine, “The Endowment Gap Is a Story About Power,” and The Moguldom Nation, “Fact Check: HBCU Alumni Give More Than National Average,” say:
- alumni are still paying off student loan debt;
- many HBCU graduates, particularly those who are first-generation college students, lack generational wealth and unlimited disposable income;
- some institutions lack robust development offices and manpower to reach out to alumni with funding requests; and
- ineffective alumni engagement, as well as insufficient education on philanthropy and charitable giving, discourages investment in the school's future.
While financial donations remain essential for today’s approximately 100 HBCUs, meaningful support can be demonstrated in ways beyond traditional giving. I am convinced all of us can do something to increase HBCU charitable giving. Here are a few suggestions.
- Educate freshmen on the importance of giving back and foster lifelong support for their alma mater. Encouraging this mindset from the moment they arrive on campus makes them more likely to give later.
- Join a local alumni association if one exists where you reside or start one.
- Tell the HBCU story wherever and however you can.
- Mentor current and prospective students by helping with admission and scholarship applications, internship searches or connections to campus resources.
- Recruit students at HBCU college fairs hosted by alumni, spearhead HBCU college tours or start an HBCU ministry at your church. Part college fair and part celebration, the annual Dayton Area HBCU Send-Off supports local students attending HBCUs while also exposing the community to HBCUs.
- Sponsor a local student financially, start a scholarship at your institution, partner with others to create an endowed fund or establish a planned giving arrangement and designate your alma mater as a beneficiary in your will or life insurance policy.
- Provide in-kind support to your institution through your time, talents and expertise.
- Contribute to HBCU-affiliated organizations, such as The Tom Joyner Foundation, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, UNCF or UNCF Inter-Alumni Council.
- Practice HBCU legacy investing through financial resources and encouraging your descendants to benefit from the educational, emotional, cultural and professional growth that HBCUs provide.
If we lead the way, students can attend our schools, stay enrolled, graduate and become HBCU philanthropists themselves. With creativity and ingenuity, alumni can drive transformative philanthropic innovation. Each of us has a role to play. Find yours!
Kyra Robinson, M.S., is the student and mentor engagement associate for the Montgomery County Ohio College Promise program.