UNCF Emergency Student Aid - A Look at Program Expansion and Increased Impact

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Damian

A report on the UNCF-led Campaign for Emergency Student Aid (CESA) examines how program expansion is improving impact for HBCU students. It evaluates emergency aid selection, award notification and distribution, fund utilization, and institution and student experiences. Using surveys of UNCF-member institutions, recipients, and current or potential donors, the study identifies messaging practices, barriers, and trends. It concludes with redesign perspectives and recommendations to strengthen support and student outcomes, graduation, and donor engagement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages28

Reading Time1 h 11 min

AccessFree to download

Acknowledgements

Methodology

Report Structure

Institution Perspective

Student Selection

Award Notification and Fund Distribution

Fund Utilization

Program Redesign Perspective

Student Perspective

Award Awareness

Award Purpose

Award Coverage

Award Impact

Development Perspective

Effective Messaging

Messaging Barriers

Current Trends

Understanding and Defining CESA

Donor Perspective

Summary and Recommendations

Program Redesign Recommendations

General Recommendations

Appendix A: 2018-19 UNCF CESA Eligibility Guidelines

UNCF EMERGENCY STUDENT AID: A LOOK AT PROGRAM EXPANSION AND INCREASED IMPACT Funded by UNCF Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute Citation: Nagle, B.T. & Saunders, K. M. (2019) . UNCF Emergency Student Aid: A Look at Program Expansion and Increased Impact. Washington, DC: UNCF Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute. UNCF EMERGENCY STUDENT AID: A LOOK AT PROGRAM EXPANSION AND INCREASED IMPACT Table of Contents Acknowledgements: UNCF would like to thank our generous and longtime donor, The Kresge Foundation, for underwriting the assessment of UNCF’s emergency aid program and production of this report. The authors would like to thank Brian K. Bridges, UNCF vicepresident of research and member engagement, and Michelle Moore, UNCF director of corporate and foundation relations, for providing valuable feedback, comments and edits. We would also like to thank the UNCF communications team who provided editing and design services: Adam Kemp, print and digital publications manager, and Steve Rosa, project management director. UNCF is deeply grateful for the collaborative support which made this publication possible. Methodology .......................................................................................5 Report Structure ....................................................................................... 5 Institution Perspective ......................................................................6 Student Selection ..................................................................................... 7 Award Notification and Fund Distribution...................................... 9 Fund Utilization ....................................................................................... 10 Program Redesign Perspective ...........................................................11 Institution Perspective Summary ......................................................12 Student Perspective......................................................................... 13 Award Awareness ....................................................................................13 Award Purpose .........................................................................................14 Award Coverage.......................................................................................15 Award Impact............................................................................................16 Program Redesign Perspective ..........................................................19 Student Perspective Summary......................................................... 20 Development Perspective ............................................................... 21 Effective Messaging................................................................................ 21 Messaging Barriers .................................................................................. 21 Current Trends .......................................................................................... 21 Understanding and Defining CESA .................................................22 Development Perspective Summary...............................................22 Donor Perspective........................................................................... 23 Summary and Recommendations ................................................. 24 Program Redesign Recommendations...........................................24 General Recommendations.................................................................26 Appendix A: 2018-19 UNCF CESA Eligibility Guidelines ........... 27 “More than 12,000 CESA scholarships totaling over $25 million have helped HBCU students stay in college and complete their degrees.” The Campaign for Emergency Student Aid (CESA) is a unique UNCF scholarship program that provides “just-in-time” financial aid to HBCU students poised to graduate, but short of funding. Since 2009,

FAQs

What is the UNCF Emergency Student Aid (CESA) program and who is it designed to support?

CESA is a UNCF scholarship program providing time-sensitive financial aid to HBCU students who are poised to graduate but are short of funding. It targets students who need emergency support to stay enrolled and complete degrees.

How does the report assess the effectiveness of CESA?

The report evaluates program processes and outcomes through surveys of UNCF-member institutions, emergency aid recipients, and current or potential CESA donors. It analyzes selection practices, fund distribution and utilization, and perceptions of award awareness, purpose, coverage, and impact.

What kinds of recommendations does the report provide?

The report includes program redesign recommendations and general recommendations aimed at strengthening CESA support. It focuses on improving institution and student effectiveness, refining messaging, and addressing barriers to donor and student engagement.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Damian