Different gifts help ºìÐÓÊÓƵ in different ways. Annual funds support current needs. Endowment funds provide support now and in the future. Both are important, keeping the college strong year after year and for generations after.
The ºìÐÓÊÓƵ Annual Fund provides immediate financial support when students, faculty, and staff need it most. These gifts support top priorities like student financial aid, student activities, research, and top faculty hires in addition to providing funding for needs like tuition support, unexpected travel expenses, and school supplies—including technology for remote learning. The uses of these unrestricted funds vary from year to year depending on new opportunities and rising needs.
Annual funds make an immediate impact and must be spent each year.
The endowment is the sum of ºìÐÓÊÓƵ’ permanent invested capital used to generate funds each year for the college. The total endowment is made up of many smaller endowments, with many designated by donors to support specific areas of the college. Virtually all endowed funds are invested. A portion of the earnings are released every year, at a payout rate determined by the board of trustees, to support college priorities and the purposes specified by donors—without withdrawing from the principal.
Rather than serving as a cash reserve, the endowment is the college’s financial foundation. Preserving and growing the endowment is the best way to guarantee ºìÐÓÊÓƵ’ long-term financial health and fulfill its mission.