UVA Darden Annual Fund Empowers Donors with New Giving Priorities

The Darden Annual Fund is making it easier for donors to power the School’s strategic priorities. Starting this fall, donors can prioritize their annual fund gifts in the following areas:

• Faculty, Thought Leadership & Curriculum
• Scholarships, Financial Aid & Student Experience
• Sustainable Grounds
• Area of Greatest Need

These areas correspond to the priorities of Darden’s Powered by Purpose campaign, providing an opportunity for all donors to support the needs of our students, faculty and community more directly. Also, gifts to each area advance inclusive excellence efforts — investments that move the School and global business forward.

As always, every gift to the Darden Annual Fund matters, no matter the amount. And importantly, annual giving continues to have an immediate impact, empowering the School to say “yes” to new ideas while providing foundational support to programming essential to the Darden experience. As a result of this flexibility — in addition to the new, streamlined giving priorities — annual fund investments will more clearly amplify our endowment.

Many of Darden’s best ideas — now either supported by endowed funds or part of the School’s core offerings — started as initiatives of the annual fund. For example, the annual fund provided market research that helped launch the Executive and Part-Time MBA programs. Also, scholarships for inclusive excellence offered by the Darden School Foundation started and continue as efforts of the annual fund — including those to recruit under-represented minorities, women and international students.

Kick-starting initiatives with the human and financial capital to build momentum and measure success enables Darden to develop sustainable programs with lasting student and faculty engagement. And now, with Darden Annual Fund priorities helping donors power their purpose, the impact on Darden is limitless.