Capital One’s The Match: Champions for Change

At Capital One, we’re committed to investing in diverse communities and businesses, and supporting organizations that expand economic opportunity, particularly for Black and Latinx communities. 

 That’s why we were thrilled to return as the title sponsor for the third iteration of Capital One’s The Match: Champions for Change, benefitting Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU’s).

In a battle of sports legends, Stephen Curry and Peyton Manning faced Phil Mickelson and Charles Barkley in a two-on-two golf match at The Stone Canyon Club near Tucson, AZ over the Thanksgiving holiday. This combination of sports legends provided plenty of competitive fire, friendly banter, and fun. And in the end, Mickelson and Barkley took home the win. 

More Than a Game

While this year’s holiday season looks different, what remains unchanged is that it’s still the season for giving. The ultimate goal of all the driving, chipping and putting is to reinforce our commitment of $1 million in combined grants for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and The United Negro College Fund, plus an additional $500,000 combined HBCU contribution to Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University and North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Additionally, Warner Media made donations to five more HBCUs primarily helping to fund golf or sports journalism programs, and the four star-studded golfers have chosen HBCUs to be recipients of their donations as well. In total, the tournament raised $6.4 million for HBCUs along with 4 million meals for Feeding America.

HBCUs have been pillars within the Black community for generations, advancing educational access and economic opportunity for those seeking a college education. We have made a commitment to increasing the number of underrepresented candidates and new hires at Capital One, which includes increasing our campus presence at HBCUs. Our hope is that the funds raised through this tournament will help strengthen the stewardship and long-term sustainability of these important institutions. 

“HBCUs are testaments to the ongoing achievements of the Black community in this country. As part of our work to advocate for equity and justice, we are honored to use the funds raised from Capital One’s The Match: Champions for Change to help strengthen HBCUs and create pathways to greater opportunity for the graduates of these vital institutions,” said Andy Navarrete, Head of External Affairs at Capital One.

Creating Pathways to Opportunity for Students

Capital One also supports students by engaging them early in their college careers to create access to financial education, helping them be more successful in college and beyond. This year, we launched First-Gen Focus dedicated to helping first year, first-generation college students, many of whom have faced intensified challenges as a result of the pandemic, to create pathways for a sustainable financial future. The program focuses on free resources revolving around three core program pillars: Financial Well-Being, Personal Wellness, and Career Readiness & Persistence. The free year-round program will support students through virtual workshops, access to mentors, and career exploration experiences.

The Capital One Foundation also provided Common App a grant to provide low-income and first-generation students with free, real-time guidance during the college enrollment process, as well as access to one-on-one coaching through the College Advising Corps. 

While HBCUs alone are not the solution for social justice, we recognize them as engines of socioeconomic mobility, and we believe they can be a catalyst for racial equity. We are proud to continue to support them through Capital One’s The Match: Champions for Change, which builds upon the Capital One Impact Initiative and recent $10 million commitment to organizations that are advancing the cause of social justice for Black communities.