What Is an Endowment?
More Information
For more information about endowments, please contact:
Scott Barrett
Interim Vice President Advancement and Interim Executive Director Stony Brook Foundation
scott.barrett@stonybrook.edu
(631) 632-9128
Endowments are often referred to as the "gifts that keep on giving." Endowments are perpetual and give donors the opportunity to support multiple generations of students and faculty, thereby making a lasting impact on Stony Brook.
Endowments are permanently invested by the Stony Brook Foundation, and a portion of the income generated by that investment is used for the purpose you wish to support, such as undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, supplemental salary support for faculty, research, libraries, lectureships, specific programs, discretionary use or other purposes. Another portion of the income is reinvested each year, enabling the endowment principal to grow, maintain its spending power against inflation and provide a permanent stream of income over time. The principal is never spent and remains intact.
The Stony Brook Foundation endowment policy provides for an annual program distribution of 4.5% of a 5-year rolling average of the endowment’s market value.
An endowment can create a wonderful and permanent legacy for you or serve as a thoughtful and lasting tribute to a loved one, friend, colleague or favorite professor. A gift to create a new endowment may be made in the form of a multi-year pledge, with gift payments spread over a period of up to five (5) years. The minimum gift to establish an endowment is $100,000.
We invite you to learn more about the many types of endowments available to support your areas of interest.
Student Endowments
Endowed gifts that support undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships make it possible for Stony Brook to attract and retain exceptional students from every background, regardless of financial circumstances. Student endowments open doors for talented, ambitious scholars to start their success stories at New York’s flagship and No. 1 public university.
You can make a transformative difference by contributing to an existing endowed scholarship or fellowship fund or by establishing a new endowment that benefits students enrolled in the college or school of your choice.
| Type | Minimum Gift | Estimated Annual Impact |
| Endowed Presidential Scholarship | $1,000,000 | $45,000 |
| Endowed Full Scholarship | $200,000 | $9,000 |
| Endowed Full Graduate Fellowship | $300,000 | $13,500 |
| Endowed Graduate Fellowship (partial award) | $200,000 | $9,000 |
| Endowed Scholarship (partial award) | $100,000 | $4,500 |
| URECA Endowed Research Scholarship (partial award) | $100,000 | $4,500 |
Faculty Endowments
Since its founding, Stony Brook University has been defined by the brilliance and ambition of its faculty — including Nobel Laureates, MacArthur Fellows, Pulitzer Prize winners, Emmy and Grammy Award winners, and members of the nation’s most prestigious academic and scientific organizations. These distinguished scholars are the driving force behind Stony Brook’s vibrant culture of intensive learning, groundbreaking research and bold innovation.
Faculty endowments make this excellence possible. By supporting endowed chairs, professorships and fellowships, you help ensure that Stony Brook can continue to recruit and retain visionary researchers, teachers and innovators for generations to come. Their work transforms new knowledge into meaningful progress and impact, benefiting Long Island and the world.
| Type | Minimum Gift | Estimated Annual Impact |
| Endowed Presidential Chair | $5,000,000 | $225,000 |
| Endowed Distinguished Chair | $2,500,000 | $112,500 |
| Endowed Chair | $1,500,000 | $67,500 |
| Endowed Professorship | $750,000 | $33,750 |
| Endowed Faculty Fellowship | $500,000 | $22,500 |
Program Endowments
Endowments that support university programs and special initiatives ensure the long-term viability of the pioneering instructional, research and public service activities that make Stony Brook a world-class public research institution. Whether your vision is to equip our researchers with advanced technology, open doors to transformative academic and cultural experiences for students, or provide vulnerable young cancer patients with the latest treatments and compassionate care, program endowments offer a powerful way to make a lasting and focused impact.
| Type | Minimum Gift | Estimated Annual Impact |
| Endowed Lectureship | $250,000 | $11,250 |
| Endowed Research Fund | $250,000 | $11,250 |
Term Current Use Impact Gifts
Term current use impact gifts establish a fund that provides multi-year support at the same level as an endowed fund’s distributions. Commitments must be for at least four years and may be renewed in increments of four or more years. These gifts qualify for a fund named in recognition of the donor or honoree for the duration of the funding period. The following are examples of term impact opportunities.
| Type | Minimum Gift Per Year | Total Minimum Commitment |
| Term Scholarship | $4,500 | $18,000 |
| Term Graduate Fellowship | $9,000 | $36,000 |
| Term Faculty Fellowship | $33,750 | $135,000 |
Naming Centers and Institutes
Centers and institutes may be named in recognition of an endowed gift. The minimum amount for a particular center or institute is determined on a case by case basis dependent on the size and scope of the program’s number of faculty and students and budget.
| Type | Minimum Gift |
| Endowed Research Institute Fund | $5,000,000+ |
| Endowed Institute Fund | $3,000,000+ |
| Endowed Center Fund | $1,500,000+ |
Naming Buildings and Rooms
Buildings may be named in recognition of an endowed gift. The minimum amount for a particular building is determined on a case-by-case basis dependent on the size and purpose of the building.
The minimum gift for a named room or other physical space within a building is $100,000, but may be more based on the size and purpose of the space.