Giving Today for a Brighter Future
Drive Success, Support Big Goals
At CMU's College of Fine Arts, we see a future in which a diverse student body — led by thought-provoking and inspirational faculty — shapes and enriches human lives in bold, new ways.
But our future depends on you. There are hundreds of giving opportunities within CFA, but we've highlighted the priorities of our school heads and dean. If you have a favorite project or are curious about ways to give, contact us at cfa-advancement@andrew.cmu.edu and we’ll help you guide your support to an area of particular interest to you.
Empower Students and Faculty, Inspire Communities, Innovate the Future
When you donate to the College of Fine Arts, you guarantee that our students receive the highest quality of education — through faculty and facilities, scholarships and emerging technologies, and international travel and experiential learning. Support our students' exceptional intellect and talent, and enhance not only the value of their diplomas, but also society and culture. You've made your mark as a student; think about making it as a donor.
Give to Something You're Passionate About
When you give to the College of Fine Arts, you leave more than a legacy. You are shaping and enriching humanity through the next generations of innovative artists, architects and designers. A gift to CFA helps you support the cultural institutions that matter to you.
We can work with you to craft a gift in a way that affects the funds, schools, programs, or research and creative spaces that you care about most.
College of Fine Arts General Funds
- Dean's Innovation Fund: Empowers the Dean of the College of Fine Arts to invest in emerging opportunities, strategic priorities, and innovative initiatives that strengthen programs, students, and faculty across the college.
- General Fund: Provides vital unrestricted support that enhances academic programs, student resources, visiting artists, research, and areas of greatest need throughout the College of Fine Arts.
- General Scholarship Fund: Expands access to exceptional undergraduate talent by providing need- and merit-based financial support for students across all CFA disciplines.
- Parents Fund: Funded by CFA families, champions student-focused initiatives including advising, wellness resources, workshops, peer programming, professional development and unique experiential learning opportunities.
Programs & Research Centers
- BXA Intercollege Degree Program Fund: Supports curricular innovation, student advising, cross-college collaborations, and programming for students pursuing interdisciplinary degrees that combine fine arts with academic disciplines across CMU.
- Frank-Ratchye STUDIO Director's Fund: Advances groundbreaking creative inquiry at the Frank-Ratchye STUDIO by supporting experimental artist residencies, research initiatives, collaborative projects, and public-facing programs.
- ICA Pittsburgh Fund: Enriches the Institute for Contemporary Art through support for exhibitions, community engagement, educational programming, and artist-centered initiatives that connect contemporary art with public audiences.
- The Ballay Center for Design Fusion General Fund: Supports research, teaching, partnerships, and events that bring design thinking into deeper collaboration with engineering, business, humanities, and policy fields.
- General Fund: Provides flexible support for student experience, program development, faculty initiatives, research activities, and innovative architectural education.
- Head's Innovation Fund: Enables the School Head to respond to emerging opportunities, supporting special projects, creative pilots, and curricular advancement.
- Merit Scholarship Fund: Recognizes highly accomplished students through competitive scholarships that reward architectural excellence, academic achievement, and outstanding creative promise.
- Fellowships Fund: Supports fellowships that enrich architectural study through research, travel, independent work, and graduate-level inquiry.
- Parents Fund: Enhances student development through community-building initiatives, professional readiness programs, resource upgrades, and special events.
- Jacob Family Fund for Diversity in Architecture: Supports initiatives that expand pathways, representation, and opportunity for historically underrepresented groups within architectural education and practice.
- Tai Lee Social Equity in Architecture Endowed Fund: Provides sustainable funding for students and programs advancing equity-centered design, community engagement, and socially responsive architectural work.
- EX-CHANGE Exhibition Event Fund: Funds the annual signature exhibition celebrating student accomplishments through curated installations, public programming, and industry engagement.
- UDream Program Fund: Supports diversity and community-focused urban design initiatives including internships, mentorships, and professional partnerships.
- General Fund: Advances creative practice, studio learning, and student experience by supporting exhibitions, curricula, innovations in technology, and faculty-led initiatives.
- Head's Innovation Fund: Funds high-impact opportunities identified by the School Head, including visiting artists, experimental coursework, public programming, and interdisciplinary projects.
- Merit Scholarship Fund: Provides competitive merit-based financial awards recognizing exceptional artistic talent, leadership potential, and creative excellence.
- Parents Fund: Supports resources that enrich artistic development—from portfolio preparation and workshops to professional networking and program-wide community events.
- Innovative Technologies Fund: Invests in emerging creative technologies such as digital fabrication, experimental media, robotics, and interactive systems to advance contemporary artistic practice.
- Lecture Series Fund: Brings renowned artists, scholars, designers, and makers to campus for lectures, critiques, workshops, and conversations that deepen student engagement.
- General Fund: Strengthens teaching, research, student experience, and facilities, ensuring access to evolving tools and methods that define contemporary design practice.
- New Initiatives Fund: Invests in emerging directions in design, supporting new research areas, external partnerships, curricular enhancements, and pilot activities.
- Merit Scholarship Fund: Supports outstanding students through merit-based awards that acknowledge creativity, academic achievement, portfolio excellence, and leadership.
- Fellowship Fund: Provides funding for graduate-level study, project-based work, and research development that deepens scholarly and professional practice.
- Parents Fund: Enhances the student journey through events, enrichment experiences, mentoring programs, and travel or participation in conferences and competitions.
- Student Experience Fund: Supports programming beyond the studio—workshops, exhibitions, field trips, special projects, and activities that elevate professional preparedness.
- General Fund: Provides essential support for performance seasons, studio learning, production resources, faculty initiatives, and the full range of dramatic arts training.
- Head's Initiative Fund: Supports visionary opportunities chosen by the School Head, including emerging artistic collaborations, new programming, and academic enhancements.
- Scholarships Fund: Funds scholarships that help promising performers, designers, directors, and technicians pursue advanced conservatory-style training.
- Parents Fund: Strengthens the student experience through showcase support, mentorship programs, professional development workshops, and production-related enrichment.
- Season Production Fund: Supports mainstage and studio productions, including scenic materials, design resources, technical operations, royalties, costumes, and guest artistic personnel.
- Showcase Fund: Supports senior showcases by covering travel, production elements, staging support, and engagement with leading professional partners.
- Visiting Artist Fund: Expands learning through workshops and residencies with nationally recognized actors, playwrights, designers, directors, and industry leaders.
- General Fund: Invests in ensembles, performance opportunities, applied instruction, visiting artists, academic enhancements, and musical innovation.
- Head's Innovation Fund: Provides flexible support for new artistic collaborations, strategic program growth, and student-centered initiatives identified by the Head of the School of Music.
- Heritage Scholarship Fund: Celebrates musical excellence by offering scholarship support to talented performers, composers, and scholars.
- Parents Fund: Supports ensemble travel, audition preparation, professional coaching, student programming, and opportunities that strengthen stage-ready musicianship.
- Marilyn Taft Thomas Piano Fund: Advances piano study and performance through support for visiting pianists, instrument resources, performance events, and masterclasses.
- Dalcroze Training Center: Supports training, certification, research, and programming rooted in the Dalcroze Center, enriching music education and pedagogy.
- Robert and Glynn Page Endowed Scholarship Fund: Provides endowed scholarship support to outstanding students pursuing study in the fine and performing arts, cultivating emerging artistic leadership.
- Chamber Series Fund: Supports chamber music programming, visiting artists, public concerts, and collaborative performance opportunities that elevate artistic excellence.
- David Lewis Endowed Scholarship Fund
- Doug Cooper Fund
- Memorial for Pamela McAllister Fund
- Moon Arts Group Fund
- Spector Scholarship Fund
- Jefferson Award Fund
- Anderson Fund
- Prague Quadrennial Fund
- WCDAC Prize Fund
- Denis Colwell Endowed Scholarship Fund
- Music Preparatory School Scholarship Fund
- Patti Pavlus Staff Development Fund
- Gary Kline Student Support Fund
- School of Music Alberto Almarza Masterclasses Fund
- Lance LaDuke Memorial Fund
- Cindy Lamauro Award Fund
- Jared and Maureen Cohon Scholarship (Music)
- School of Music Merit Scholarship Fund
- STUDIO for Creative Inquiry Moon Arts Project Fund
- Block Endowed Student Support Fund
- Architecture Class of 1974–1975 Reunion Fund
- Phyllis Aiello Coates Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund
- John M. Zurosky Endowed Music Education Scholarship Fund
- Intelligent Workplace Fund CBPD
We believe donors’ money provides not only financial support for students, it signals confidence in their abilities. It encourages them to strive to be their best.
Jo Nogee