Darden Annual Fund
Immediate Impact
Supporting the Darden Annual Fund is the best way to help the Darden School say “yes” to new opportunities while supporting the foundational components of the Darden experience. Every gift to the annual fund will power Darden’s ability to provide:
- Flexible funds that can be directed where and when our students, faculty and the Darden community need them most.
- Increased financial aid and expanded scholarship opportunities to ensure that the best and brightest are able to choose Darden and make their mark on the world.
- Seed funding for new innovations and emerging programs. The Executive and Part-Time MBA formats as well as the Breakthrough Scholars program, were launched with annual fund support.
- Investments in teaching, research and thought leadership for faculty, including the creation of more diverse courses and case studies.
- Funding for student clubs and organizations in Charlottesville and Rosslyn, such as the Darden Student Association, Global Business and Culture Club, Cold Call Chorus, Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) and many more.
- Focus on inclusive excellence as a core priority of Darden’s mission.
Below, learn more about how gifts to each designated area of the Darden Annual Fund power the School's strategic priorities.
Every gift makes a difference to enable the School to respond to the emerging needs of students and faculty at any time. Flexible annual fund dollars have been deployed to launch programs like Breakthrough Scholars to enhance inclusive excellence in finance.
The quality of the Darden experience depends on the quality of our faculty. Annual fund investments power teaching and research infrastructures while encouraging global understanding and the development of new and diverse courses and case studies to reflect an interconnected business world.
Over half of the annual fund is used for student scholarships every year. As cost for graduate business education continue to rise, student support is a path for all alumni to ensure top talent continues to benefit from the unique Darden experience to become leaders in business and society.
Refine investment in the Darden School Vision Plan and 2030 sustainability goals in Charlottesville and Rosslyn to meet the ever-evolving needs of the Darden community.
See how the Darden Annual Fund has powered the School’s response to the coronavirus pandemic through a Q&A with Dean Scott C. Beardsley.
Read Darden Professor Sankaran “Venkat” Venkataraman’s first-hand account of the impact of philanthropy on the faculty body.
The Darden Student Association knew it needed to step up to support students amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The annual fund fueled its efforts.
The Heart of Our Progress
Your leadership through the Darden Society is a strategic investment in the School’s path forward. Support the campaign today and invest in the annual fund at the Darden Society level.
Hickory was Dean Charles C. Abbott’s ever-loyal black Labrador retriever and is a symbol of the dedication of Darden alumni who provide three or more years of consecutive giving.
Be a part of Darden’s fulcrum moment.