Harvard is home to cutting-edge medical, scientific, and technological research that impacts countless human lives. Faculty, postdoctoral, and student researches from across the University and around the globe make revolutionary discoveries and deepen our understanding of the world. The elimination of federal funding and other government actions threaten their pioneering work.

Moved by the leadership of Harvard President Alan M. Garber AB ’77, PhD ’82 and their own commitment to the University’s mission, tens of thousands of donors, both alumni and non-alumni, have responded with a powerful show of support—including a large number making first-time donations to Harvard or donating for the first time in years.

“I am grateful to everyone whose philanthropy allows Harvard to pursue our mission and serve the public good.”

— alan . garber ab ’77, phd ’82, president of harvard university

Many donors have chosen to make gifts to discretionary, immediate-use funds for Harvard leaders, such as the Presidential Priorities Fund, Harvard College Fund, and other School annual and dean’s funds. Unlike funds in Harvard’s endowment, more than 80 percent of which can only be used for specific purposes designated by the donor at the time of the gift, these flexible funds empower Harvard’s leadership to allocate resources where they’re needed most now.

Recent donations have often been accompanied by heartfelt, in some cases handwritten, messages of encouragement and solidarity sent from across the country.

“We stand in strong support of Harvard’s enduring commitment to academic integrity, truth, and institutional independence,” writes a donor from California.

“This check is not even a ripple in a teacup, but it’s from the heart and represents a teeny-weeny, itsy-bitsy, small token of my best wishes,” writes a donor from Illinois.

“I don’t have any personal ties to Harvard and no relatives who attended school there, but I believe you may have saved academic freedom for universities all over America,” writes a donor from North Carolina.

“My donation is a mere pittance but if multiplied by millions can supply the funds needed for research and self-determination,” writes a donor from Virginia.

All parts of the University have experienced substantial increases in the volume of gifts. In just a six-week period in April and May 2025, Harvard received more than 22,000 gifts—more than triple the historical average for that period. Every gift of every size collectively makes a meaningful and tangible difference in sustaining Harvard’s excellence at a pivotal time for the University and for higher education more broadly.

For example, discretionary funds have previously been deployed for initiatives such as expanding financial aid; supporting student mental health and well-being; launching new interdisciplinary programs to address climate change; and improving civil discourse and open dialogue to foster a more intellectually diverse campus. Today, gifts to these funds are proving to be a powerful took in the fight to keep critical research moving forward.

“We have a stunning array of talented individuals in our community, but they could not do their work without the funding to support it,” says Harvard President Alan Garber AB ’77, PhD ’82. “I am grateful to everyone whose philanthropy allows Harvard to pursue our mission and serve the public good.”