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About Us

founder

“Preserving your greatest memories, helping the next generation to create new ones”

Although spare change technology, also known as round-ups, has been around for a few years, Dominique King, Founder of I Heart My HBCU, was the first to bridge this technology to Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) via a single mobile app. “I Heart My HBCU became the first platform where users could donate spare change to any of the 104 HBCUs in one place,” says King.

After founding her non-profit in 2016, King identified the top challenges hindering HBCU Alumni donations and as a solution she launched this groundbreaking funding platform to the app store, in 2017, joining an elite group of black women tech entrepreneurs. This technology could have been directed towards many other areas of need, but her plan was to preserve the rich heritage of HBCUs and combat challenges that lead to the closures of some of these great institutions, such as Concordia College in Alabama. King is passionate about her efforts to preserve the viability of these institutions; being a HBCU graduate herself, of the prestigious Howard University in Washington, D.C., she knows first-hand the importance of not only the cultural significance of HBCUs, but the vital role that the education she received at Howard has played in the many successes she has earned in her life to this point. In her consistent and constantly evolving spirit to give back, she toiled tirelessly to develop a novel way to support HBCUs in their efforts to continue producing scholars and leaders of today and tomorrow. It was out of this spirit of selflessness that I Heart My HBCU was born.

How It Works

In as little as :60 seconds, users can download the I Heart My HBCU app in iOS or Android stores and link their bank account. The I Heart My HBCU app rounds up each credit or debit card purchase to the nearest dollar. The spare change will then be donated to the user’s five favorite HBCUs.

“When creating this app, it was important for me to encourage HBCU Alumni to support all HBCUs. Users can easily adjust how much or how little of their spare change they share to their five favorite HBCUs,” says King.

Always innovating, King is continually updating the app to attract more non-HBCU alumni, in an effort to help HBCUs expand their donor base beyond its students and alumni, into other segments of the Black community and all supportive communities in general. While HBCU alumni are large in numbers, preserving our HBCUs will take a community effort. I Heart My HBCU’s chat integration takes the app from just being a donor marketplace to a donor community for HBCU alumni, the Divine Nine, and friends of HBCUs to network, exchange ideas, support other black-owned businesses and, most importantly, support HBCUs. During a time when people are increasingly isolated due to the pandemic, we need a tool that fosters community. Recognizing the dire need for communal interaction, I Heart My HBCU intentionally goes beyond a “set and forget” platform and attempts to attract new users and keep them engaged.

Step 1: Download the App
Step 2: View the Monthly HBCU Rankings
Step 3: Adopt the HBCUs in the most need.
Step 4: Sync Your Bank Account with Plaid.


The spare change collected from your purchases will display in the app. Once you accrue $5 in spare change it will be donated to your favorite HBCUs.

About I Heart My HBCU

Founded in 2016, I Heart My HBCU is committed to supporting the educational institutions that help shape creative, talented, and brilliant young black minds, and to pay homage to the incredible role that these institutions have played in the lives of all of its alumnae by securing an even brighter future for its current students and those yet to come. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, 80 cents of every dollar will go towards funding Student Scholarships – Student Emergency Fund – Sports Programs – Academic Programs – Campus Upgrades – Endowments, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

I Heart My HBCU is a Georgia nonprofit corporation. We are a public charity exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our Federal Employer Tax ID number is 81-2016731.

Contributions to I Heart My HBCU are be tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law. Please check with your personal tax advisor regarding the deductibility of your gift.

80 cents of every dollar donated will go to HBCUs. The university will determine where to allocate funds unless a specific campaign earmarks these funds for a specific use.

The care of HBCUs is the responsibility of everybody. As a community we rise together. However, you have complete control over how much you give to each HBCU. See the example below:

HBCU 1:  96%

HBCU 2:  1%

HBCU 3:  1%

HBCU 4:  1%

HBCU 5:  1%

All donations are final.

You will be provided a receipt for all of your donations. Please complete the Donor Information Card located under settings to receive an electronic or physical receipt.

You are always in control of how much you give. Spare Change and recurring donations may be paused by going to the Admin Tab under Settings. Click on Pause Donations and slide the bar over to no.

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