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Allen University "Allen Days" Fundraising Scandal Emails
Dear Bishop Davis,
We are reaching out because these questions directly impact the future and stability of Allen University, and as alumni, you deserve transparency and accountability. With reports that the university has had to borrow funds to meet payroll several times over the past 6 months, it is urgent that we collectively seek clarity on where the money raised in Allen’s name—especially at church conferences—has gone. If you wrote a check for Allen University during those conferences, who actually cashed your check, and where were those funds ultimately deposited in Allen University's bank account?
Citizens For Justice is issuing this fact-based communication regarding funds raised during Allen Day observances and Seventh District conferences from 2017 through 2024 in the name of Allen University.
During these conferences, Allen University students were transported, the choir performed, and direct appeals were made to congregations for Allen students. Offerings were publicly collected in Allen University’s name. With approximately seven conferences annually and reported collections of $120,000 to $180,000 per event, the estimated total raised between 2017–2024 exceeds $8,500,000 million dollars. If funds were consistently collected in the University’s name during these years, yet institutional records do not reflect deposits consistent with the scale of fundraising, a procedural and fiduciary explanation is required. ????????
We have all the evidence.
The focal question: Where is the reconciliation of funds raised for Allen University (2017–2024) versus the funds actually deposited into Allen University accounts? How did funds raised in and wrote out to Allen University’s name from 2017–2024 not fully reach the institution? This happened and continues to happen under the leadership of Bishop Davis.
Again, Citizens For Justice is providing this focused communication regarding funds raised in Allen University’s name during Allen Day and conference appeals from 2017 through 2024.
Citizens For Justice
From: Citizen Justice Anonymous
Sent: 12 March 2026 2:39 PM
Subject: Who We Are. And Why We Support The Students At Allen University.
Good afternoon,
This email chain has over 2,000 recipients, and we have received overwhelming support and encouragement to continue advocating for the students at Allen University. Many have asked why the Allen University Board of Trustees has remained completely silent during the past two years of turmoil. Unfortunately, we have no answer for that.
One might reasonably expect that, after 40 emails, three newspaper articles, multiple visits from the FBI, the firing of Dr. McNealey, notifications to Dr. Stephen Pruitt at SACSCOC and the Department of Education, ongoing HUD investigations, online videos documenting eight years of Allen Days rallies (56 fundraising events), financial records showing fundraising money never deposited into Allen University’s bank account, and the revelation that the Waverly Building is not owned by Allen University—any board members who attended these rallies would speak up and report the fraud. Yet, to date, the Allen University Board of Trustees has not provided any evidence that it has addressed these allegations.
It is also worth noting that 95 percent of board meetings have been conducted over Zoom, and records of these meetings are accessible through legal channels.
We would also like to clarify our use of the term Anonymous. We are not referring to an individual hiding behind a computer. We are the group Anonymous, a collective dedicated to exposing wrongdoing and promoting transparency. Below is an introduction to our collective and mission.
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The Cover-Up Associated With The Annual Allen Days Rallies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtFOb_Kf7TI
In September 2024, after Bishop Davis had arrived in the 7th District, the millions of dollars raised during the annual Allen Days Rallies were reportedly still held in a South Carolina bank account. Prior to his first conference, Bishop Davis had a private conversation with Dr. McNealey in which he acknowledged that he was aware Allen University had never received the millions of dollars raised at previous conferences.
The reason for this meeting was that Bishop Davis was aware that reporters were present at his first conference rally and that a newspaper outlet had already published a report regarding the missing funds from the Allen Days rallies.
During that conversation, Bishop Davis stated that he knew Allen University had not received the funds and indicated that the money was being held for the institution. Dr. McNealey explained that he had occasionally requested $30,000 to $60,000 from the funds. He further stated that even if Allen University had received the total amount raised annually, it would only cover two or three payroll cycles for the university, which he indicated totalled nearly $700,000 per month. Notably, there was no mention of the students at Allen University, who were intending beneficiaries of the approximately $1.5 million raised annually for scholarships and other student-related needs. Instead, the focus of the discussion was solely on payroll.
Bishop Davis then stated that, moving forward, he wanted the funds allocated as a line item to Allen University, and that Dr. McNealey could use the funds as he “saw fit.” During the same conversation, Bishop Davis indicated that he could “handle the Board,” even after acknowledging that several board members were concerned about the allegations and were considering leaving the Board.
The central issue arises from the decision to provide Allen University with $1 million in an apparent effort to quiet Dr. McNealey. If the funds raised during the Allen Days fundraisers had truly been preserved for the benefit of Allen University, then the full amount donated by supporters should have been transferred to the university. However, there was a significant problem—the funds were no longer available. This ultimately led Bishop Davis to contact the National AME Church and report that the funds had been taken.
The Evidence:
We have in our possession a complete recording of the conversation referenced above, as well as documented intel identifying the exact date the funds left the bank account in South Carolina. While Bishop Davis later provided what appeared to be a heartfelt public interview, the statements made during that interview do not align with the facts surrounding the disappearance of the millions raised for Allen University.
Citizens For Justice
Allen University Students Launch Online Protest Campaign In Search Of 8 Million Dollars Scholarship Funds
Allen University Students Launch Online Protest Campaign In Search Of 8 Million Dollars In Scholarship Funds
COLUMBIA, SC / Boston Herald / September 13, 2024 / a bold move, students at Allen University have initiated an online protest campaign. They are reportedly planning a 45-day non-stop social media campaign designed to flood the president's office and the Board of Trustees with emails demanding answers about what they allege are missing scholarship and grant funds. The protest comes amid a growing controversy involving university president Dr. Ernest McNealey and the disappearance of millions of dollars meant for student scholarships, grant funding, and a damaging recent news report, backed by emails, placing the president in the center of a HUD falsifying document scandal.
The controversy, which has allegedly been brewing for weeks, reached a boiling point after allegations surfaced that substantial sums raised during AME Church conferences-designated for Allen University scholarships-have not been accounted for. Students, many from low-income backgrounds, now allegedly face the possibility of losing their ability to continue their education due to alleged cuts in financial aid.
One student, identified only as K., expressed the frustration allegedly felt by many: "I grew up in Carol City, and my family makes less than $30,000 a year. It was a big struggle just to get here, and my family and church put in everything they could to help me get an education. But now, I'm hearing that Dr. McNealey has been stealing money that's supposed to help students like me, and I'm furious."
The allegations suggest that over $8 million allegedly raised in the past eight years at AME Church conferences may not have reached the university or its students. This revelation has led to questions about where the money has allegedly gone and why scholarships are allegedly being cut despite such substantial funds allegedly being raised.
An alumnus, A. Johnson, allegedly voiced their outrage in an email: "I've seen them announce over $130,000, sometimes even $180,000 in cash and checks raised at these conferences-not counting online giving and Cash App donations. Just this year alone, there was allegedly nearly $800,000 raised at the meetings. And you want to tell us the school isn't getting this money?"
The scandal allegedly extends beyond scholarship funds to encompass questions about the management of federal grants and tax credits related to the Waverly Project, a renovation of a historic campus building. Students and alumni are allegedly demanding transparency about the ownership and financial arrangements surrounding this project, with some alleging that Dr. McNealey may be personally benefiting from these deals.
In response to the mounting pressure and alleged lack of answers from the administration, students are allegedly taking matters into their own hands. "We're fed up with this, and we're mobilizing for a sit-in and a boycott until we see real change. We want Dr. McNealey out!" declared K. in their impassioned email.
The students' online protest campaign allegedly aims to disrupt business as usual until their demands for transparency and accountability are met. They are calling for:
1. A full accounting of all funds allegedly raised for scholarships in recent years.
2. An explanation of why scholarship funds have allegedly been cut despite successful fundraising efforts.
3. The immediate reinstatement of allegedly cut scholarships.
4. Clarification on how the Board allegedly allows the President to own the Waverly-Clyburn Building.
5. A change in leadership, including calls for Dr. McNealey's resignation.
The protest has allegedly garnered support from alumni and community members, with over 900 followers allegedly backing the students' cause. The controversy has also allegedly attracted the attention of national media, with reports indicating that over 50 news outlets have allegedly contacted organizers for more information.
Students are allegedly standing firm in their resolve, even in the face of potential retaliation. As K. stated, "We've also heard that if we boycott, Dr. McNealey might try to kick us out of school. Let me be clear: if that happens, we will sue! We have rights, and we're not going to be scared into silence."
As the online protest allegedly gains momentum, the future of many Allen University students allegedly hangs in the balance. With their education and financial stability allegedly at stake, these students are demanding more than just answers-they're fighting for their future and the integrity of an institution they once trusted.
Feds Freeze millions intended for Allen University campus project, questioning invoices
By Glenn Smith and Adam Parker gsmith@postandcourier.com aparker@postandcourier.com
Aug 2, 2024
COLUMBIA — Federal officials have frozen funding for an expensive effort to transform a historic Black hospital building into a multipurpose campus venue at Allen University, raising questions about how the capital project was managed and its impact on the private school's finances.
Renovations to the former Good Samaritan-Waverly Hospital, which opened in 1952 during the period of legal segregation and operated until 1973, were completed late last year when the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development put the brakes on $4.3 million in grant money expected for the rehab. That's because Allen officials have been unable to provide HUD with receipts needed to document the work that was done, according to HUD and correspondence obtained by The Post and Courier.
The site has been open for months. But the shortfall in grant funds placed a lingering financial strain on the small school at the same time it is dealing with a wave of departures among people in key administrative positions, according to two sources close to the matter. Allen's enrollment stood at 657 in 2022, according to the latest data available from the S.C. Commission on Higher Education.
HUD confirmed to the newspaper that it had rejected four invoices submitted by Allen in November due to the historically Black university's "inability to provide adequate source documentation" to support the expenditures. There were also indications that some of the work occurred outside the window for the grant, a HUD spokesperson said.
Allen has until 2030 to gain access to the money, provided that it can hand over the necessary financial paperwork. But HUD has heard nothing from the school since the beginning of this year, the HUD spokesperson said.
The Waverly-Clyburn Building at Allen University.
Dub Taylor, Allen's vice president for institutional advancement, told The Post and Courier the renovated building has been a beneficial addition to Allen's offerings. But he said the school would have no comment on the HUD grant, its financial status or personnel issues at the school, which is affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
The newspaper also reached out Aug. 1 to Allen President Ernest McNealey and AME South Carolina Bishop Samuel L. Green, who chairs Allen's board, but neither responded to the inquiries.
The Waverly Project, as it was called, resulted in a repurposed structure that preserved and improved the former Good Samaritan-Waverly building, which was a cornerstone of Black life in the state capital. It was the only place in town that trained Black nurses and one of the only hospitals in Columbia to serve African Americans. Today, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The project recalls the building's history, while transforming its space to house:
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The Boeing Institute on Civility, to include a permanent memorial for the nine victims of the 2015 Emanuel AME Church shooting
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The School of Education
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The Dickerson-Green Theological Seminary
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The Waverly Wall Museum Portrait Display
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The Dominion Energy Palmetto African American Hall of Fame
Dominion Energy donated $500,000 to the nearly $11 million project in 2020. Boeing pledged $1.5 million. In 2021, the Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union donated $100,000.
Finding itself still short of money, Allen University solicited U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn’s intervention in securing the HUD grant.
The powerful South Carolina Democrat, who sits on Allen's board, inserted an earmark into an omnibus spending bill passed by Congress and signed into law in March 2022. It gave Allen $4.29 million meant for the Waverly Project. Then, in 2023, he took steps in an appropriations bill to make sure the money would remain available and that Allen's options for using it would be more flexible. That reportedly was the end of his involvement with the project.
The building was later renamed the Waverly-Clyburn Building in his honor, and a bronze statue of the congressman was erected outside.
Clyburn's office had no comment to offer on the project's funding issues.
Everything seemed on track until HUD balked at turning over the grant money late last year, according to emails obtained by The Post and Courier. That correspondence indicates the school hit a wall when it tried to submit invoices for work done prior to the grant period.
“The funds were channeled through HUD, and during faith-killing conversations with the staff there, the realization that we were seeking reimbursement rather than allocation for a new project was finally acknowledged,” McNealey wrote on Nov. 8, 2023, to one of the contractors.
The school had initially submitted invoices using "documentation that matched the real phases and pay apps” prepared by the contractor. Those invoices were rejected. McNealy's email indicated that an Allen administrator then prepared new "invoices" to conform to the HUD-approved application period, though it is unclear from the correspondence when precisely that work was done. He then asked the project's contractor to sign off on the revised invoices as soon as possible.
HUD subsequently asked for itemized receipts to support those adjusted invoices, which apparently put the school in a bind.
A reporter called GMK Associates — the lead contractor — on Aug. 1 seeking more details about what transpired, but a message was not immediately returned.
In the end, HUD notified Allen officials in December that the new invoices were insufficient and that funds would be withheld until more documentation is provided.
The mix-up, along with recent staff turnover, has increased the challenges for McNealey, Allen's fourth president since 2010. He had previously served as president of Stillman College, another historically Black college institution in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
During his 16-year tenure at Stillman, McNealey managed an ambitious capital campaign on campus and saw the school earn its first-ever ranking among the top tier of comprehensive colleges in the South, The Tuscaloosa News reported. But he was also knocked by some alumni and faculty who blamed his leadership for the departure of staff, financial difficulties and declining enrollment, the paper reported.
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Educate yourself about social justice issues you’re passionate about and research what is being done about them.
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