Endowment Gifts
Endowed funds allow amazing things to happen at UW-Green Bay, from generous financial aid for students to the sparkling Chihuly glass sculpture at the Weidner.
Since the University was established in 1965, generous donors have created more than 260 endowed funds. Many of these funds are directed by donors for specific purposes, from scholarships for first-generation college students and athletes involved in Division 1 teams to specialized facilities and equipment. The UW-Green Bay Foundation carefully stewards each of these promises. Endowed funds continue to provide support year after year. This is crucial for an institution intended to serve generations of students.
How it Works
Choose to endow your gift of $50,000 or more. Ask us about options for making gifts over time that add up to the minimum amount.
The fund can grow over time to generate an increasing stream of funding devoted to your interest areas. Earnings are distributed in the form of scholarships to students or requested by faculty, deans, and directors who oversee program expenses. Your gift – and all future income from your gift – is a permanent source of funding that supports UW-Green Bay and its students forever.
Download the Endowment information sheet
What are the unique features of endowed gifts?
Endowment refers to funds meant to exist in perpetuity, such as a scholarship or professorship. These gifts are invested for the long term and are intended to provide a permanent source of financial support for a designated purpose. Each year, a portion of the fund is paid out — 4.5 percent — and used for the purposes the donor and Foundation agreed upon when the gift was made.
How are endowed funds invested and managed?
Endowed gifts are pooled with others to achieve maximum investment efficiency and return. They grow with guidance from experienced local leaders and expert investment managers. The Foundation distributes the maximum from the endowment that is sustainable over time. Like most peer institutions, Foundation's annual payout is 4.5 percent.
Benefits of endowment gifts
- An endowment gift allows you to make a permanent contribution to the University’s future. You can ensure the success of students and programs for generations to come.
- An endowment gift ensures that the University will have resources to withstand economic ups and downs or unexpected events.
- An endowment gift can be directed to a specific purposes or can be unrestricted. Fewer restrictions on gifts allow the Foundation to address needs that emerge in the future.
- An endowment gift allows you to perpetuate your annual contributions to causes you care about right now.
Endowed Giving Opportunities
Endowed scholarship or program support fund: $50,000
Established for a wide variety of academic and student support purposes, including student scholarships.
Endowed scholar (faculty professional development): $50,000
Provides resources to a designated faculty member to attend national conferences and events that allow new ideas to be brought back to the local University community.
Lectureship (non-University speaker series): $100,000
Allow subject matter experts (non-University employees) to speak to our students, faculty and community. These programs enhance the academic experience by supplementing curriculum and offering professional development for faculty and staff. Lectureships support the lecturer’s stipend and event and promotional costs.
Directorship (community outreach): $200,000
Fund innovative ideas for student projects and community outreach from a specific department.
Graduate Assistantship: $400,000
Support for students to become the professionals of tomorrow in their field. Teaching and research assistantships are two examples of these student awards. Student work under the guidance of faculty members and their work forms the basis of their master’s theses.
Professorship: $500,000
Support for faculty members’ cutting-edge research, outstanding teaching and valuable community engagement. Gifts from generous donors ensure academic excellence in teaching today and for generations to come.
Deanship: $1,000,000
Funding provides academic deans the latitude to fund critical priorities including emerging academic programs, important research areas of focus, and supplemental support for student activities and learning environments.
Department chair: $2,500,000
Support helps the University demonstrate its commitment to quality teaching and research by attracting scholars with national and international reputations and challenge and guide students by exposure to the highest levels of academic leadership.
School: $5,000,000
These vital resources support teaching, learning, classroom equipment, and unique educational experience opportunities for students. Endowed schools can provide scholarships for students as well as funding to attract top faculty with national reputations in their field of expertise. UW-Green Bay currently hosts two endowed schools – the Austin E. Cofrin School of Business, and the Richard J. Resch School of Engineering.
To discuss endowment funds, contact Tony Werner, Vice Chancellor of Advancement at 920-465-2074 or werner@uwgb.edu.