Frequently Asked Questions

Why does UCF need my support?

While funding from the state provides strong financial support for the university, charitable funding provides added value that can bring distinction to academic programs and scholarship opportunities to students.

How are my gifts used by the UCF Foundation, Inc.?

Gifts are used following guidelines as specified by the donor. Some donors allow the university to direct their gifts where they are most needed. These unrestricted funds may be used to help provide scholarships, recruit outstanding faculty, facilitate student and faculty research, and support important university initiatives where no other funding is available.

What are the university’s fund-raising priorities and who sets them?

In a university as complex and fast-growing as UCF, there are always more opportunities for enhancing our academic missions than there are funds to carry them out. With input from the college deans, the president and provost of UCF determine the fund raising priorities.

How will the UCF Foundation, Inc. manage my endowed gift?

Endowment gifts are invested in a long-term investment pool. The primary investment objective of the Long Term Pool is to provide a real total return that exceeds inflation while concurrently supporting the current and future spending obligations.

Upon meeting its minimum, each endowment receives regular investment allocations reflecting interest, dividends, gains/losses and expenses. Spending is allocated annually to endowments that have been invested at its minimum for at least a year. This process continues annually in perpetuity.

Who manages the UCF Foundation, Inc.?

The Foundation is governed by a board of directors, consisting of UCF alumni and friends who volunteer their time to oversee the Foundation’s activities and programs. UCF President John Hitt is also a member of the board of directors. Robert J. Holmes, Jr. is the CEO of the UCF Foundation, Inc. A list of the board of directors can be found on the UCF Foundation, Inc. website.

How is the UCF Foundation, Inc. funded?

The Foundation’s operating budget is primarily funded by:

• A fee on all new gifts
• A yearly administrative fee on the market value of endowments
• Short-term investment appreciation
• University support
• Real estate activities

How do I make a gift to the UCF Foundation, Inc.?

Call 407-823-1220 or visit the UCF Foundation, Inc. website.