Marc Barnes

Dr. Marc A. Barnes is a distinguished fundraising executive with over twenty five years of experience in higher education and nonprofit leadership. He has a proven track record of partnering with university presidents, senior executives, and governing boards to raise transformational capital, driving strategic goals and institutional success. Currently, Dr. Barnes serves as the Senior Vice President of Principal Gifts and Strategic Impact Investment Fundraising at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). In this role, he collaborates closely with the President and CEO to bolster financial support for strategic initiatives that advance the mission of UNCF. Dr. Barnes oversees all aspects of UNCF’s strategic fundraising, leading efforts to expand philanthropic revenue streams. A key element of his portfolio is the management of UNCF’s ambitious $1.5 billion capital campaign. Before joining UNCF, Dr. Barnes served as Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Dillard University, a UNCF-member institution. At Dillard, he spearheaded fundraising operations, marketing, public relations, community engagement, and alumni giving strategies. Under his leadership, the university raised over $100 million, increased the alumni giving rate to 23%, secured the institution’s largest-ever alumni donation of $1 million, and garnered over $10 million from individual donors for strategic initiatives. His previous roles at Dillard included Assistant Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations and Director of Major Gifts. Dr. Barnes also held a leadership role at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival & Foundation, where he served as Director of Development. During his tenure, he established a comprehensive development program and led a capital campaign that raised over $8 million to build the George & Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center. Additionally, he expanded the foundation’s annual fundraising revenue by over 200% and increased net proceeds from the organization’s annual gala by 400%. A Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), Dr. Barnes earned his doctorate in Urban Higher Education Administration from Jackson State University, a Master of Arts in Philanthropy and Development from LaGrange College, and a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Xavier University of Louisiana. His research interests focus on alumni giving at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).