University of Central Florida Foundation

What University of Central Florida Foundation does

The University of Central Florida Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves as the central vehicle for private philanthropic support to the University of Central Florida (UCF), one of the largest universities in the United States. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Orlando, Florida, the foundation operates under the UCF Advancement & Partnerships umbrella and stewards charitable giving, endowment management, and donor relations across UCF's 12 colleges and 240+ academic programs. Its core offerings include the 'Go for Launch' comprehensive fundraising campaign, endowed and annual scholarship programs, named giving opportunities, planned giving, tribute gifts, and a suite of corporate partnership programs ranging from corporate giving to on-campus co-location.

The foundation's business model is community-led philanthropy: revenue is generated through one-time gifts, recurring donations, endowed scholarships, major gifts, planned giving, and corporate partnerships rather than through product or service sales. Distribution channels span the foundation.ucf.edu online giving portal (global reach) and a high-touch major-gift officer and partnership development network targeting enterprise-level corporate donors (domestic, primarily Southeast U.S.). In fiscal year 2024-25 the foundation raised a record $126.1 million in philanthropy, including the largest single gift in university history — a $50 million contribution from alumnus Barry Miller '95 — alongside major partnerships with Universal Destinations & Experiences, Orlando Health (SPRK co-location), and BNY ($5 million Pegasus Partnership).

The organization is governed by a Foundation Board and collaborates closely with UCF's administration. It maintains active marketing channels including a campaign website, social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn), the UCF Day of Giving event series, direct email, and impact-story content. It received EAB's National Award for Innovation in Industry Partnerships, signaling third-party validation of its industry-academia collaboration model.

Name

University of Central Florida Foundation

Legal name

University of Central Florida Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://ucffoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The University of Central Florida Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit philanthropic arm of UCF that raises and stewards charitable gifts, endowments, and corporate partnerships to support students, faculty, and programs across the university's 12 colleges and 240+ academic programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Fundraising & Advancement

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• University fundraising
• Charitable giving
• Alumni engagement
• Scholarship programs
• Corporate partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropy and Charitable Giving: The UCF Foundation generates revenue primarily through charitable donations from alumni, corporate partners, and individual donors. These include endowed scholarships, major gifts, annual giving, tribute gifts, and planned giving. The organization achieved record-breaking $126.1 million in philanthropy in 2024-25.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The University of Central Florida Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves as the central philanthropic and advancement arm of the University of Central Florida. It manages charitable gifts, endowment funds, donor relations, scholarship programs, alumni engagement, and corporate partnerships that support 12 colleges and 240+ academic programs. The foundation drives fundraising through the "Go for Launch" comprehensive campaign, offering giving options such as one-time gifts, recurring donations, tribute gifts, planned giving, and major named gifts.

Product overview

UCF Advancement & Partnerships is a university advancement department (not a traditional product company) that operates the UCF Foundation, a nonprofit entity that manages philanthropy and donor relations. The core offering is a comprehensive fundraising and engagement platform centered around the 'Go for Launch' campaign, supported by giving options, scholarship programs, alumni services, and partnership programs. The organization manages 12 colleges and 240+ academic programs through charitable contributions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Go for Launch Campaign
• UCF Foundation
• Giving Options
• Scholarship Programs Endowed and annual scholarship programs supporting students across all 12 colleges and 240+ academic programs at UCF.
• Alumni Services Programs and resources connecting UCF alumni including giving societies, career development, and engagement opportunities.
• Partnership Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Record-breaking $126.1 million in philanthropy in 2024-25

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Universal Destinations & ExperiencesflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversal Destinations & Experiences partnered with UCF to establish the Universal School of Experience Leadership & Innovation, a first-of-its-kind school housed within UCF's Rosen College of Hospitality Management. This partnership develops future leaders in themed entertainment and immersive experiences.
• Orlando HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrlando Health co-located in UCF's SPRK facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The partnership accelerates healthcare innovation through proximity, collaboration, and real-world application, representing a shared commitment to healthcare solutions.
• BNYflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBNY and UCF announced a $5 million Pegasus Partnership including co-location, creating a new model for industry-academia collaboration. The partnership provides UCF students real-world experience with a world-renowned financial institution while leveraging faculty excellence and research capabilities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ucffoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/UCFAdvancementAndPartnerships
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ucf-foundation-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/ucfalumni

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University of Central Florida Foundation