About the Penn Parents Fund
Parents Fund Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Parents Fund?
- What is an unrestricted gift?
- What do gifts to the Parents Fund support?
- What is the difference between the Parents Fund and The Penn Fund?
- How much money does the Parents Fund raise?
- What if I can only make a small gift to the Parents Fund?
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What is The Parents Fund?
Penn's Parents Fund supports undergraduate education and is a vital funding source that creates unique opportunities for students and enhances programs across campus. Each year thousands of parents and grandparents help shape the Penn experience with their unrestricted gifts.
What is an unrestricted gift?
An unrestricted gift is a gift that is not designated for a specific purpose. It is the most flexible kind of support that can be used in a timely way to meet the University's greatest needs. These funds allow Penn to rise to new challenges and achieve excellence both in and beyond the classroom experience. Many of the University's most innovative initiatives were made possible because of unrestricted resources.
What do gifts to The Parents Fund support?
Your unrestricted support helps fulfill the immediate needs of the University – supporting the undergraduate experience in areas such as financial aid, residential enhancements, student life and academic support.
Student Financial Aid
- Almost half of the undergraduate population receives financial support from the University, and less than 23% of that undergraduate financial aid budget is covered by endowment income. The balance comes from the general operating budget, which relies on gifts from parents and alumni.
Residential Experience
The quality of residential life is key to attracting students and remaining competitive. But most important is Penn's ability to give students a comfortable and secure community in which to live. Gifts to The Parents Fund support such projects as innovative programming in the College Houses and refurbishing of residential study areas.
Student Life and Academic Support
The myriad activities that enliven the University campus and foster learning are supported in part by The Parents Fund. A portion of gifts is directed toward Penn's "learning hubs" such as Kelly Writers House, Civic House, Weiss Tech House, and the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
Special Initiatives
As part of a continuing technology upgrade program, infrastructure overhauls are being made to classrooms across campus to allow for installment of new computers, audio-visual systems, and telecommunications equipment. Innovative academic projects, such as the Penn Reading Project held during New Student Orientation, also receive support from Parents Fund gifts.
What is the difference between The Parents Fund and The Penn Fund?
The Parents Fund differs from The Penn Fund in only one significant way who is giving the gift. The Parents Fund is the unrestricted fund for parent giving, whereas The Penn Fund if the unrestricted fund for undergraduate alumni giving. This separation allows Penn to recognize the special nature of parent giving and the constant growth in support from Penn parents to the University. These two unrestricted funds are both vital in Penn's growth, standards of excellence and rankings among the Ivy League universities.
What calendar does The Parents Fund use to recognize gifts?f
Penn’s fiscal year begins July 1 and ends June 30.
What if I can only make a small gift to The Parents Fund?
No gift is a small gift! All Parents Fund donors, no matter the size of their gift, enrich life at Penn. Smaller gifts add up quickly to make a significant difference over a year, and allow Penn to make valuable improvements in undergraduate life as they are needed. Every gift makes a difference, and strengthens parents'f relationships to Penn. Gifts from parents are a show of involvement, passion and confidence in Penn, and strengthen our University's stature.
For more information or if you have any questions, please contact our office at (215) 746-4646 or via e-mail at ppparents@ben.dev.upenn.edu