Editing UNCF (section)

== Fundraising and the Lou Rawls Parade of Stars ==
{{Education in the U.S.}}
[[File:United Negro College Fund DC.JPG|thumb|United Negro College Fund headquarters in Washington, D.C.]]
The UNCF has received charitable donations for its scholarship programs.  One of the more high-profile donations made was by then-senator and future [[U.S. President]] [[John F. Kennedy]] who donated the money from the [[Pulitzer Prize]] for his book ''[[Profiles in Courage]]'' to the Fund. Another significant donation was made in 1990 by [[Walter Annenberg]], who donated $50 million to the fund.<ref>[http://www.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/african/2000/1990.htm B. Davis Schwartz Memorial Library] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211134655/http://www.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/african/2000/1990.htm |date=February 11, 2010 }}</ref>

Beginning in 1980, singer [[Lou Rawls]] began the "Lou Rawls Parade of Stars" [[telethon]] to benefit the UNCF. The annual event, now known as "An Evening of Stars", consists of stories of successful African-American students who have graduated or benefited from one of the many historically black colleges and universities and who received support from the UNCF.  The telethon featured comedy and musical performances from various artists in support of the UNCF's and Rawls' efforts. The event has raised over $200 million in 27 shows for the fund through 2006.<ref name="prnewstoday.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.prnewstoday.com/release.htm?cat=music&dat=20060106&rl=DCF04006012006-1 |title=United Negro College Fund :: An Evening of Stars Continues in Memory of Lou Rawls |website=www.prnewstoday.com |access-date=15 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070313124917/http://www.prnewstoday.com/release.htm?cat=music&dat=20060106&rl=DCF04006012006-1 |archive-date=13 March 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In January 2004, Rawls was honored by the United Negro College Fund for his more than 25 years of charity work with the organization. Instead of Rawls' hosting and performing, he was given the [[seat of honor]] and celebrated by his performing colleagues, including [[Stevie Wonder]], [[The O'Jays]], [[Gerald Levert]], [[Ashanti (entertainer)|Ashanti]], and several others. Before his death in January 2006, Rawls' last performance was a taping for the 2006 telethon that honored Wonder, months before entering the hospital after being diagnosed with cancer earlier in the year.<ref name="prnewstoday.com"/>

In addition to the telethon, there are a number of other fundraising activities, including the "Walk for Education" held annually in [[Los Angeles, California]], which includes a five kilometer walk/run. In [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], [[Texas]], the [[Cypresswood Golf Club]] hosts an annual golf tournament in April.<ref name="uncf-events">{{cite web |url=http://www.uncf.org/sections/Events/Events.asp |title=UNCF Events |publisher=UNCF |access-date=2013-10-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002142226/http://www.uncf.org/sections/Events/Events.asp |archive-date=2013-10-02 }}</ref>

In 2014, [[Koch Industries Inc.]] and the [[Charles Koch Foundation]] made a $25 million grant to UNCF.<ref>{{cite news|title=Koch brothers donate $25 million to United Negro College Fund|author=Sullivan, Sean|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/06/06/koch-brothers-donate-25-million-to-united-negro-college-fund/|date=June 6, 2014|access-date=August 26, 2014|newspaper=[[Washington Post]]}}</ref> In protest of the Kochs, the [[American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees]], a major labor union, ended its yearly $50,000–60,000 support for UNCF.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nypost.com/2014/07/10/koch-brother-grant-halts-union-support-for-united-negro-college-fund/ |title=Union halts support for United Negro College Fund over Koch brothers' grant |date=2014-07-10 |access-date=2014-07-11|agency=[[Associated Press]]|work=[[New York Post]]}}</ref>

In 2015, the [[Lilly Endowment]] donated $50 million to UNCF to establish the Career Pathways Initiative (CPI) for HBCUs.<ref name="Lilly1002024"/>

In June 2020, [[Netflix]] founder [[Reed Hastings]] donated $120 million to the UNCF to be used as scholarship funds for students enrolled at UNCF institutions.  His donation was the largest in UNCF history.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bursztynsky|first=Jessica|date=2020-06-17|title=Netflix CEO Reed Hastings donating $120 million to historically Black institutions|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/17/netflix-ceo-hastings-donating-120-million-to-historically-black-institutions.html|access-date=2021-02-17|website=CNBC|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=June 17, 2020|title=Netflix CEO is donating $120 million to HBCUs, wants it to celebrate "great black achievement"|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/reed-hastings-netflix-ceo0donation-120-million-hbcus/|access-date=2021-02-17|website=www.cbsnews.com|language=en}}</ref>

In 2024, the Lilly Endowment added to its 2015 gift and awarded a $100 million unrestricted grant to UNCF's $1 billion capital campaign.<ref name="Lilly1002024">UNCF News (January 11, 2024). 
[https://uncf.org/news/uncf-receives-100-million-grant-from-lilly-endowment-inc-to-support-capital-campaign  UNCF Receives $100 Million Grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to Support Capital Campaign.] Retrieved May 19, 2025.</ref>