25 Sep 2025

Âé¶¹ÊÓ´«Ã½»­Ó³Av to Benefit from MacKenzie Scott’s Landmark $70 Million Gift to UNCF

Saint Augustine’s University (Âé¶¹ÊÓ´«Ã½»­Ó³Av) a proud member of UNCF (United Negro College Fund), announced today that it will benefit from a landmark  The gift will be invested in the UNCF Members Pooled Endowment Fund, a groundbreaking initiative designed to strengthen the long-term financial health of all 37 private UNCF-member historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

Through this initiative, Âé¶¹ÊÓ´«Ã½»­Ó³Av will receive a $5 million endowment stake from UNCF. The institution will work with UNCF to raise an additional $5 million in matching funds, creating a $10 million endowment that will be managed in perpetuity. These pooled funds will make annual distributions at a 4% payout rate, providing long-term financial stability and greater opportunities for Âé¶¹ÊÓ´«Ã½»­Ó³Av students.

“This transformational investment affirms the critical role that Âé¶¹ÊÓ´«Ã½»­Ó³Av plays in higher education and will allow us to expand opportunities for our students, strengthen our academic programs, and build permanent resources for the future,†said Âé¶¹ÊÓ´«Ã½»­Ó³Av Interim President Dr. Verjanis A. Peoples. “We are proud to work alongside UNCF to raise the matching funds that will double this impact on our institution.â€

The $70 million gift from MacKenzie Scott brings UNCF significantly closer to its goal of raising $370 million for the pooled endowment, a critical component of its broader $1 billion capital campaign. Once matched, the initiative will increase the median endowment of UNCF-member institutions by 63%, addressing the stark disparity between HBCU and non-HBCU endowments.

“This extraordinary gift is a powerful vote of confidence in HBCUs and in the work of UNCF,†said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO of UNCF. “It provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our member institutions to build permanent assets that will support students and campuses for decades to come.â€