FanDuel, North America’s premier online gaming company, announced a $1 million donation supporting the UNCF (United Negro College Fund) whose mission is to build a robust and nationally recognised pipeline of under-represented students who, because of UNCF support, become highly qualified college graduates. The donation will financially support students at 10 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across Ohio. FanDuel’s latest donation is the third in three years, as the company has also helped to support UNCF’s efforts in Virginia and Maryland. This latest support is timed to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the launch of mobile sports betting in Ohio.
Through the donation, UNCF will provide direct aid to help students in a variety of areas, including technology, housing, food security, tuition and other education-related expenses. As part of the partnership, FanDuel will also work with UNCF to recruit students from the schools to join its internship programme at one of the company’s U.S. offices.
“We’re always looking for ways to make a positive impact in the communities in which we operate our sportsbook. As we reflect on our first year of operation in Ohio, we’re proud to continue our partnership with UNCF to support the HBCU community in the state and look forward to supporting hard-working students at institutions across Ohio,” Christian Genetski, President of FanDuel, said.
The 10 institutions in Ohio impacted by the donation include Case Western University, Central State University, Chamberlain University, Franklin University, Herzing University-Akron, Ohio State University-Newark Campus, Union Institute & University, Ursuline College, Wilberforce University and University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College.
“We truly appreciate the ongoing support from FanDuel, as financial and academic supports like this help make a real difference for HBCUs and their students. We look forward to continuing our partnership; students benefit so much from internship opportunities,” Maurice E. Jenkins, Jr., executive vice president and chief fundraising officer of UNCF, said.
This marks the third donation from FanDuel to the UNCF. The first donation came in February 2021 when FanDuel Group and the Washington Commanders made a $1 million donation to UNCF to support students at Virginia’s five HBCUs, and the second came in December 2022 when FanDuel Group donated an additional $1 million to support Maryland’s four HBCUs.
