OU Foundation Endowments

Endowment Opportunities

Targeting a Purpose

Your endowed gift can be restricted to a specific purpose or area of interest, including a particular college, department, program or for student support. Or your gift can be unrestricted and made available to meet ever-evolving needs. As the donor, you decide.

Different Ways to Fund an Endowment

Endowed funds may be established and augmented by the following gift methods:

• Cash
• Naming the OU Foundation as a beneficiary in your will or trust
• Giving IRA annual required minimum distributions or naming the OU Foundation as the beneficiary of retirement assets
• Gifts of securities or stock
• Property or assets accepted by the OU Foundation, including gifts of mineral rights
• Gifts from donor-advised funds

How Much is Required to Establish an Endowment?

While there are minimums for creating new endowed funds, any gift, including smaller amounts, might be added to an existing endowed fund. Every dollar contributes to increasing the margin of excellence at OU. Minimums have been established so that annual endowment distributions are meaningful to beneficiaries and well-used by colleges and departments.

The minimum amount varies depending on the purpose of the fund.

For example, an endowment to fund a general program or student scholarship may be funded with at least $25,000 that generates an estimated $1,125 distribution. Fellowships for graduate or professional students (medicine, for example) would require a larger endowment of at least $100,000.

Amounts for faculty lectureships, professorships and chairs vary depending on the purpose of the fund and the academic discipline it will support. Generally, professorships require an endowment of $1,000,000. Endowed Chairs require a minimum endowment of $1,500,000 but could require more depending on academic unit.

How Long Can I Take to Establish my Endowment?

Donors may select to make multi-year intention payments and take up to five years to build their endowment. For example, an annual gift of $10,000 for five years will ultimately build a $50,000 endowment.