The Black Church and Millennial Philanthropy: Influences on College Student Prosocial Behaviors at a Church-Affiliated Black College

Abstract

Colleges and universities are increasingly relying on philanthropic contributions to allow them to continue to provide high-quality education. Christian higher education is no different. African Americans give a larger percentage of their disposable income to nonprofits than any other racial group; this giving is primarily directed to the Black church. Limited literature addresses Black giving to higher education, and even less focuses on fundraising for church-affiliated Black colleges and universities. As part of a larger case study of the United Negro College Fund's (UNCF) National Pre-Alumni Council (NPAC), this research examined how African Americans in the millennial generation think about and choose to act philanthropically and the role that Black colleges and the African American church play in the cultivation of these behaviors. The findings in this article draw upon a case study dataset of interviews with 21 students and four NPAC advisors from 13 UNCF institutions, representing one third of the member colleges. More specifically, this article focuses on the document analysis and interviews of four students from Tougaloo College. This work is supported by and advances our understanding of the theoretical literature surrounding philanthropy, fund-raising, prosocial behavior, and the involvement of religion, specifically the Black church, on giving within African American communities. Beyond adding to the scholarly discourse, this paper offers recommendations for practice to increase prosocial behaviors of college students at religiously affiliated institutions.