A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution, usually with the stipulation that it be invested, and the principal remain intact in perpetuity or for a defined time period. This allows for the donation to have a much greater impact over a long period of time than if it were spent all at once.

The total value of an institution's investments is referred to as the institution's endowment.

College and university endowments

Main article: College and university endowments in the United States

Notable endowment funds

• The United Negro College Fund
• National Wildlife Federation
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

See also

• Lists of institutions of higher education by endowment
• Endowment tax

References

External links

• Sutton Trust: University Endowments - A US/UK Comparison
• Ford Foundation: A Primer for Endowment Grantmakers
• Dada, Kamil (February 1, 2008). "Stanford University's Kamil Dada explores how the university spends its endowment". Stanford Daily.

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