Giving
Every gift helps Notre Dame educate hearts and minds, expand opportunity, and be a force for good in the world.
Notre Dame raises money because our mission is larger than our campus. From our founding, we’ve been called not simply to educate minds, but to form hearts—people of faith, intellect, and service who bring hope to a divided world. Every gift, no matter the size, strengthens that mission. It helps us accompany students from every background, deepen our scholarship, and extend the light of Notre Dame into communities across the globe.
Together, we make it possible for Notre Dame to continue doing what it was founded to do nearly 180 years ago… to bring light and love into a world that needs both.
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Notre Dame’s mission reaches far beyond campus.
We raise funds to support a university that combines academic excellence with a vibrant Catholic faith, to form hearts and minds that change the world. Tuition supports a portion of that work, but philanthropy makes possible the rest: research that cures rare diseases, programs that build more livable cities and foster peace, and initiatives that bring hope where it’s most needed. Every gift helps Notre Dame become not just the greatest Catholic university in the world, but one of the greatest forces for good in it.2
Most of Notre Dame’s endowment is restricted to specific purposes.
Notre Dame’s endowment is not small—but it’s best measured against our global mission. Made up of thousands of purpose-specific funds, the endowment reflects generations of generosity and stewardship. Each year, a small percentage is spent to preserve it for future generations, and more than 75% of those funds are restricted to particular schools, departments, or programs. That means Notre Dame must fund more than two-thirds of its operating budget from other sources. Annual, expendable gifts provide the flexibility that keeps our mission vibrant and responsive to the world’s needs.3
70% of Notre Dame students receive financial aid—loan-free
Nearly 70% of Notre Dame students receive financial aid, and our no-loan commitment helps make a Notre Dame education affordable for every family. Because of the generosity of others—through annual gifts and endowed scholarships—students from every background can say yes to Notre Dame. They come here not only to study, but to be formed as servant leaders who will carry our mission into the world and do good.4
Federal funding has declined.
Federal support for research has declined, and the challenges facing humanity have grown more complex. Notre Dame continues to pursue discoveries that heal, unite, and uplift, but this work depends increasingly on private philanthropy.5
Every gift is cherished and makes a difference.
Most gifts to Notre Dame are less than $1,000—and together they sustain scholarships, unsurpassed academics, and service that change lives every day. These gifts form a living network of generosity: a community of people united in the belief that Notre Dame’s light can help heal the world. When you give, you join that mission and make possible a Notre Dame that serves not only its students, but all those they will go forth to serve.