Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther spotlights UNCF’s local reach ahead of March 26 luncheon downtown
A civic fundraiser with an education focus returns to the convention center
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther is using the lead-up to the city’s annual UNCF Mayor’s Luncheon to underscore the organization’s role in widening access to higher education for students who face financial barriers. The 14th annual luncheon is scheduled for March 26, 2026, at 11 a.m. at the Greater Columbus Convention Center’s Short North Ballroom.
The event is structured as a community-facing fundraising and networking gathering that brings together corporate, civic, faith and nonprofit leaders around UNCF’s scholarship and college-support mission. The luncheon has been positioned by organizers as both a convening space and a revenue-generating moment for education initiatives tied to UNCF’s work with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and the students they serve.
What the luncheon supports
UNCF is best known nationally for providing scholarships and related supports that help students enroll in and complete college. In Columbus, the luncheon has historically been presented as a way to channel local philanthropic capacity into that broader mission while keeping attention on workforce and opportunity outcomes connected to postsecondary attainment.
In past years, UNCF has highlighted the role of HBCUs and their graduates in state and regional economic life, framing college completion not only as an individual outcome but also as an employment and income driver. That linkage has become a recurring theme in event messaging around the luncheon and related community campaigns.
Mayor’s role and local context
Ginther, now in his third term as Columbus mayor and in office since January 1, 2016, is listed as the luncheon’s host. His public remarks in the run-up to the event have emphasized educational access and mobility as core elements of opportunity policy, aligning the luncheon with broader city conversations about workforce readiness and equitable growth.
Columbus has continued to see civic efforts that tie economic development to training pipelines, credential attainment and college affordability. The UNCF luncheon sits within that landscape as a philanthropic mechanism—distinct from government programs—intended to mobilize private and institutional giving around student support.
Program details and featured participants
Date and time: March 26, 2026, 11 a.m.
Location: Greater Columbus Convention Center, Short North Ballroom, 400 N. High St.
Host: Mayor Andrew Ginther
Emcee: Rodney Dunigan, evening managing editor and anchor at WSYX ABC 6
Event materials also highlight senior UNCF leadership roles connected to education access and community partnerships, reflecting the luncheon’s dual purpose: fundraising and coalition-building across sectors that influence student outcomes.
The luncheon is presented as a platform to invest in students by reducing financial barriers to higher education.
What to watch next
The luncheon will offer a snapshot of how local institutions are prioritizing education philanthropy in 2026, including which sectors show up as sponsors and partners and what messages civic leaders deliver about college access, affordability and workforce demand. The event’s fundraising results and any announced scholarship commitments are expected to be key indicators of its near-term impact.