An uptick overall, but more importantly a bounce back for HBCUs is how 2018 would be described in the land of the big philanthropy. The Center for Philanthropy reported 497 gifts of $1 million or more to all colleges and universities. After a sluggish few years, HBCUs have seen the most $1 million plus gifts since 2014. In terms of pure dollar amount, this year’s class has bested them all since HBCU Money began tracking the data six years ago with $43 million combined among the HBCUs obtaining gifts.
High-quality donors (who give consistently and over their lifetime will probably give six to seven figures of donations) continue to show up for HBCUs, but still not representative of HBCUs presence in America’s higher education landscape. While HBCUs represent three percent of the country’s colleges, this year only 1.4 percent of the 497 $1m plus donations found their way to an HBCU. Tranformative donors (who can change the paradigm of an entire institution with one donation) continue to elude HBCUs all together, while PWI/HWCUs landed 13 donations of $100 million plus in 2018.
The gap this year between top seven PWI/HWCU gifts totaled $2.94 billion while HBCUs as mentioned totaled $43 million or a $68 to $1 ratio.
1. Ronda E. Stryker & William D. Johnsont (pictured) – $30 million
Recipient: Spelman College
Source of Wealth: Health products
2. Seth & Beth Klarman – $5 million Recipient: Spelman College
Source of Wealth: Finance
3. Roland Parrish – $3 million
Recipient: Fisk University
Source of Wealth: Food & beverage
4. Gene & Patsy Ponder – $2 million
Recipient: Wiley College
Source of Wealth: Manufacturing
5. Kenya & Rainbow Barris (tie) – $1 million Recipient: Clark Atlanta University
Source of Wealth: Entertainment
5. Irvin & Pamela Reid (tie) – $1 million
Recipient: Howard University
Source of Wealth: Education
5. Denzel Washington (tie) – $1 million
Recipient: Wiley College
Source of Wealth: Media & entertainment
Source: Chronicle of Philanthropy
HBCU Money 