Why Philanthropy?

Some ask because they paid for their tuition, their books, their housing, their four years of college. Some ask because they know a public university such as UCF receives state-funding. And some ask because they see us ask for contributions and just want to know why. Whatever the reason for asking, we want to help answer the question as much as we want to help answer the need.

So, why give?

Because access is crucial. 

There was once a time when higher education institutions had to choose between being accessible or being excellent. And we just don’t think that’s how it should be. At UCF, we are committed to expanding access by creating new means of entry and success, while also maintaining our reputation as a worthwhile institution. We achieve that through private support. We achieve that with help from donors who are passionate about UCF and want to ensure that the UCF experience continues to be as attainable as it is extraordinary.

Because the funding gap keeps growing.

Funding for public higher education was among the first line items to be cut on budgets in the wake of the last decade’s recession. Florida has reduced its financial support to UCF by 49 percent in the last few years. That’s $144 million of support we no longer receive. But raising tuition costs to make up that number would mean many potential Knights have to cross UCF off their list of dream schools. We’re not OK with that. We need private support to help UCF withstand cuts without wavering in our pursuit of accessible excellence.

Because UCF makes Central Florida better.

Put aside for a minute the art exhibits, performances, community events, hundreds of thousands of hours of service-learning and community service per year and the athletics program that continues to impress, and focus just on UCF’s economic impact. The university employs more than 12,000 people. It impacts more than 112,000 additional jobs and adds $7.73 billion of value to the economy. Great things happen when one of the largest universities in the nation is located in one of the fastest-growing cities. 

Because it makes your degree more valuable.

A better UCF doesn’t just benefit present and future students, it benefits past alumni as well. Your degree isn’t judged nearly as much by your alma mater’s reputation when it was awarded as it is by your alma mater’s reputation now. If you’re a UCF alumnus or alumna, the better the university gets, the more impressive that Pegasus emblem on your diploma becomes. We’ve got grit, drive and momentum to keep on charging on and getting our name and our story out there. Let’s do it together.

Because our research changes the world.

At UCF, we pursue breakthrough research in disciplines ranging from cancer treatment to hospitality management and other optical networks to public administration. Today’s American colleges and universities perform the majority of the nation’s basic research — the kind of research that not only seeks medical and scientific breakthroughs but also yields discoveries that positively impact our daily lives and drive the innovation economy. Research is costly, and federal funding for basic research is declining. If we’re going to continue using the exceptional minds at UCF to make the world a better place, we’re going to need your help.

Because we can.

Even if you think you can’t, even if you think the $10 you have to spare a month won’t do much, even if you already paid your own tuition. You can, it would, and you can help out someone who can’t. Philanthropic contributions to UCF add up. They add up to a scholarship for a first-generation college student who will transform the field of engineering. They add up to the exact funding a researcher needs to make his breakthrough medical discovery. They add up to wins on football fields, successes in classrooms and a continual celebration of human potential on display. Every gift, whether it’s $5 or $500, adds up when we come together to invest in the future world-changers of UCF. They add up to opportunity.

Most Popular Funds That Could Use Your Help

Why not give toward something that excites you? Our goal is to connect you with your passion. Donor intent is important and we want your donation to support something you believe in. So whether it’s first generation scholarships, furthering the arts at UCF, rooting for our athletics through your donation, or something else entirely — there’s a fund for you and we want to help you find it.

  • Academic Advancement Programs (AAP)
  • Alumni Excellence Fund
  • Alumni Scholarship Endowment
  • Area of Greatest Need
  • Art Department
  • Austin Fragomen Study Abroad Grant
  • Burnett Honors College
  • Cheerleading Scholarships
  • COHPA General Scholarships
  • College of Arts & Humanities
  • College of Business Student Opportunity Fund
  • College of Education and Human Performance
  • College of Engineering
  • College of Medicine Excellence Fund
  • College of Nursing
  • College of Science Excellence Fund
  • CREOL/General Scholarships
  • First Generation Scholarships
  • Football Excellence Fund
  • Graduate Studies Excellence Fund
  • Graphic Design
  • Honors College Scholarships
  • International Student and Scholar Services General
  • Scholarship
  • Knights Helping Knights
  • Lampp Scholarship Fund
  • Lead Scholars
  • LGBTQ+ Services
  • Limitless Solutions
  • Mathematical Sciences
  • Modern Languages
  • Multicultural Academics & Support Services
  • Music Scholarship Fund
  • Nicaragua Study Abroad Fund
  • Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life
  • Performing Arts Center Building Fund
  • Physical Therapy Program
  • Rosen College of Hospitality Management
  • School of Visual Arts & Design (SVAD)
  • Social Work
  • Student Development & Enrollment Services Student
  • Emergency Fund
  • Student Health Services
  • Students with Disabilities
  • Study Abroad
  • The Aphasia House Fund
  • Theatre Department
  • UCF Athletics Student Athlete Scholarship Fund
  • UCF Creative School
  • UCF Downtown
  • UCF Opera
  • UCF RESTORES PTSD Clinic
  • Undergraduate Research
  • Undergraduate Studies
  • University Writing Center
  • Veterans’ Academic Resource Center
  • Women’s Sports
  • Writing and Rhetoric General Fund

We answered your why.​

Now are you ready to change lives and become the power behind everything that happens at UCF?​

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