What HBCUs Can Teach Us About Philanthropy In An Era Of Disruption

Representative Alma Adams speaking at the 2026 HBCU Philanthropy SymposiumDelaware State UniversityLike most institutions of higher education, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are facing an unsettled federal funding environment, persistent infrastructure needs, and changing enrollment patterns. With these issues in mind, over four days in July, more than 325 fundraising and institutional advancement leaders, college presidents, funders, corporate partners, and advocates came together in Maryland for the HBCU Philanthropy Symposium. The gathering, which is in its 16th year, included representatives from more than 50 HBCUs. Hosted by Delaware State University (DSU), the symposium focused on “Building HBCU Capacity in an Era of Disruption.”

The symposium’s tone was forward-looking, with a message that HBCUs cannot control every disruption around them. Still, they can strengthen their fundraising operations, build stronger partnerships, use data and research more effectively, and prepare for unexpected opportunities.

Congresswoman Alma Adams of North Carolina opened the gathering with a fireside chat. As founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional HBCU Caucus, Adams urged participants to support the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act. This bipartisan legislation would authorize grants to repair and modernize HBCU campuses. It addresses needs ranging from historic preservation and new construction to broadband access and research equipment. DSU provided attendees with sample letters for both chambers of Congress. By the next morning, participants had begun writing. DSU President Tony Allen noted, “Congresswoman Adams did not ask us to applaud. She asked us to act. IGNITE would be one of the most consequential pieces of legislation in the nearly two-century history of our institutions.” Allen also emphasized that the HBCU symposium was designed to move participants from conversation to collective advocacy. It treats philanthropy and public policy as connected parts of HBCU sustainability rather than separate concerns.

The gathering also recognized that effective advancement work requires an understanding of history. A.L. Fleming of Tuskegee University, for example, examined Booker T. Washington’s philanthropic legacy and its relevance to contemporary fundraising. According to Fleming, Washington understood that institutional survival depends on relationships, persuasion, strategy, and a compelling account of what an institution could accomplish. Today’s technologies and funding structures may be different, but Fleming suggested that the lessons remain useful.

Other sessions at the symposium looked into the future. Margie Vela of Amazon Web Services led discussions about artificial intelligence (AI), including hands-on training in agentic AI for university administrators. Likewise, Daryl Graham of the Strada Education Foundation discussed the Strada Scholars Model as a framework for developing future donors. Participants at the symposium also explored athletics, adult learners, career readiness, federal policy, international partnerships, alumni engagement, and philanthropy across the African continent.

One session that I found particularly interesting made the case for research as an advancement strategy. HBCUs need the capacity to document their contributions, tell their stories with evidence, and explain the full reach of their work. Research can help institutions identify what works, demonstrate economic and social impact, and make a stronger case to funders. In addition, research can challenge deficit-based narratives that focus on what HBCUs lack while ignoring what they accomplish.

The symposium’s closing sessions provided powerful examples of transformational philanthropy. For example, Huston-Tillotson University President Melva K. Wallace discussed the $150 million gift her institution received from the Moody Foundation. This gift is the largest single philanthropic donation ever made to an HBCU. Another panel considered what HBCUs can learn from the recent MacKenzie Scott gifts, including how to prepare for future philanthropic investments of this size.

Wallace focused her talk on faith and vision, emphasizing that leaders must hold firmly to their purpose while also having a clear plan. She emphasized that leaders must do the difficult preparation that often goes unseen. Wallace stressed that faith does not eliminate the need for strategy and that vision must be accompanied by disciplined work. She noted that transformational gifts rarely emerge from nowhere. Institutions must have strong leadership, well-functioning advancement offices, trustworthy data, clear priorities, and the ability to explain how an investment will improve students’ lives.

Tony Allen, president of Delaware State University.Photo Credit: Delaware State UniversityAccording to Allen, HBCUs offer one of the strongest investment cases in U.S. higher education, as they educate students who have often been underestimated. They do this work with fewer resources and much more efficiently than many Predominantly White Institutions.

The symposium’s final message focused on collaboration. Presenters emphasized that no single HBCU can build the field’s future alone. HBCUs will benefit when they share strategies, advocate collectively, learn from major philanthropic successes, and build relationships across sectors. As symposium founder Vita Pickrum observed, the future of the HBCU community will be secured through “a shared commitment to student success, bold partnership, and disciplined philanthropy.”