Cleveland State University Foundation

About Cleveland State University Foundation

A three-year run of general operating support to Cleveland State University defines Cleveland State University Foundation’s recent giving: $16,579,855 in 2025, $14,641,758 in 2024, and $11,669,499 in 2023. That pattern shows a funder centered on sustaining the university’s core work rather than distributing many small awards. The foundation’s stated purpose is to raise, receive, and manage private gifts for the advancement and benefit of Cleveland State University, with support for student scholarships, faculty research, academic programs, athletics, and related university needs. Its grantmaking is built around donor-directed support for the university itself, including endowment building, research support, and scholarship funding. The active programs list also points to scholarship-oriented giving that is tied to student access and completion, as well as research funding for faculty and academic discovery. In the recent grants list, the only named recipient is Cleveland State University, which received the foundation’s largest reported grants across three consecutive years. That concentration makes the foundation a direct vehicle for channeling private philanthropy into CSU’s institutional priorities and operating needs.

What Cleveland State University Foundation Funds

Scholarships are a central theme in the foundation’s donor-supported work. Under its general student scholarships program, Cleveland State University Foundation supports CSU students to reduce financial barriers to degree completion and improve retention and graduation outcomes. The scholarship support program likewise describes donor-funded awards for eligible CSU students. Research is another stated priority. The foundation lists research as an area supported by donor gifts, with funding aimed at faculty research, academic discovery, and university research infrastructure at Cleveland State University. The foundation also supports long-term philanthropic planning through endowment building. Its establishing an endowment program allows donor support to continue indefinitely for scholarships, academic programs, or other designated purposes. A separate partnership program, the Doug Peacock Scholarship Program, supports female and underrepresented minority engineering and business students.

How Cleveland State University Foundation Gives