Competitive Excellence Fund

Competitive Excellence Funds are a new charitable avenue as a result of the House Settlement that allow donors to invest in student-athlete revenue sharing and help UNI maintain its championship-caliber programs.

The Panther Scholarship Club (PSC) serves as UNI's annual fund, moving the department forward while providing opportunities for student-athletes through quality learning experiences and competition. Panther Scholarship Club contributions are associated with defined membership benefits and donor giving levels, providing supporters with access to certain season ticket locations, parking, hospitality, and more.
For more information on how to support the PSC, contact Assistant AD for Revenue Generation, Steven McKee, at 319-273-2468 or steven.mckee@uni.edu.

The new Competitive Excellence Funds support UNI's revenue sharing efforts. Gifts to the Competitive Excellence Funds earn priority points (2 points per $100) and are tax deductible but do not provide Panther Scholarship Club benefits.

A legal settlement approved in April 2025 in federal court, commonly referred to as the House settlement. Among many aspects of the settlement, it allows universities, for the first time, to share a portion of sports-related revenue with student-athletes. It also sets a cap on the total dollar amounts schools can pay athletes a year.

No. To comply with NCAA rules and federal regulations, gifts cannot be directed to benefit a specific student-athlete. However, you can designate your support to a specific team. The UNI Athletics department will determine how best to use these funds for the success of the programs. All student-athletes remain eligible to monetize their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) through endorsements, sponsorships and other commercial activities.

Yes. Contributions to the UNI Athletics Excellence Funds are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. All donations are processed through the UNI Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We recommend consulting your tax advisor for guidance based on your individual circumstances.

The Panther Collective, a non-profit corporation helping amplify UNI Athletics, operated independently to support student-athletes through Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) opportunities prior July 1, 2025. While the Panther Collective has now dissolved, they continue to be ambassadors for UNI Athletics.

Yes, there are many ways to give including cash gifts, planned giving, gifts of securities and stock and more. Please visit https://foundation.uni.edu/support-uni/ways-give to learn more!