Endowment FAQs

WHAT IS AN ENDOWMENT?

While gifts of any amount are of great value, an endowed fund provides ongoing annual support to the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (HSC), serving the institution’s needs and the donors passions forever. Each year, 4% of the endowment goes directly to scholarships, programs and activities as designated by donors. This conservative annual withdrawal ensures that the corpus of the endowment will never disappear – benefiting HSC forever.

HOW CAN A DONOR ESTABLISH AN ENDOWMENT?
Institutions and individuals have many ways to create an endowment, including giving cash, pledges, securities, retirement plan assets and bequests. The establishment of funds are created with an initial gift or pledge paid over a period of five years. The UNTHSC Foundation spending’s policy disperses 4% of the rolling 12-quarter average of fair market value of the fund.

WHAT PURPOSES CAN A DONOR ESTABLISH AN ENDOWMENT?
Endowments can be established for one or more specific purposes as directed by the donor or for unrestricted general support. Typically, endowed funds support student scholarships, programs, research and facilities.

WHAT IS THE MINIMUM GIFT AMOUNT TO ESTABLISH AN ENDOWMENT?
Generally, institutions establish minimum gift levels for endowments. At UNTHSC Foundation, the minimum gifts to establish endowments are:

• Endowed Scholarship – minimum of $25,000 | To provide an annual award to a deserving student(s) based on criteria including, but not limited to, academic achievement or financial need.
• Endowed Fund – minimum of $25,000 | To provide an annual payout to a department or school to pay for travel opportunities, research, supplies and equipment, software or hardware and other expenses. These funds should not pay for tuition, books or fees of students.
• Endowed Professorship – minimum of $1,500,000 | To provide supplemental salary to retain and recruit the best faculty. Funds can be used for travel opportunities, research, supplies and equipment and graduate student stipends.
• Endowed Chair – minimum of $2,000,000 | To provide supplemental salary to retain and recruit the best faculty. Funds can be used for travel opportunities, research, supplies and equipment and graduate student stipends.
• Distinguished Endowed Chair – minimum of $2,500,000 | To provide supplemental salary to retain and recruit the best faculty. Funds can be used for travel opportunities, research, supplies and equipment and graduate student stipends.

DID YOU KNOW? The average institutional unmet need of a student is nearly $20,000. This refers to unmet need after the student has been awarded federal aid (federal grants and student loans). The first year of investment for an endowed scholarship can award $1,000.