Endowment Gifts
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 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 made 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 (below) to support your area(s) of interest.
Types of Endowments
Student Endowments
Gifts that fund undergraduate scholarship and graduate fellowship endowments make it possible for Stony Brook to attract and retain the best undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of their financial circumstances. You can make a difference by contributing to an existing endowed scholarship or fellowship fund or by establishing a new endowment to benefit students enrolled in the college/school of your choice.
Type Minimum Gift Estimated Annual Impact Endowed Presidential Scholarship $1,000,000 Endowed Full Scholarship $200,000 Endowed Full Graduate Fellowship $300,000 Endowed Graduate Fellowship (partial award) $200,000 Endowed Scholarship (partial award) $100,000 URECA Endowed Research Scholarship (partial award) $100,000
Faculty Endowments
Since its founding, a hallmark of Stony Brook University has been its remarkable faculty, comprised of Nobel Laureates, MacArthur Fellows, Pulitzer Prize winners, Emmy and Grammy Award winners, and members of prestigious academic and scientific organizations. These distinguished individuals are crucial to the fabric of our dynamic environment of intensive learning, scholarly research, and the translation of new knowledge into benefits for the greater community. You can help to ensure that the University can continue to recruit and retain leading researchers and teachers through your support of endowed faculty chairs, professorships and fellowships.
Program Endowments
Endowments that support programs and special initiatives at Stony Brook ensure the long-term viability of important, cutting-edge instructional, research and public service activities that make the University a world-class institution. Whether you want to provide our researchers with advanced equipment for research, eager students with opportunities for cultural exploration and cultural enrichment, or vulnerable young cancer patients with the latest treatments and emotional support, Program Endowments offer a means to make a difference for a specific endeavor.
Type Minimum Gift Estimated Annual Impact Endowed Lectureship $250,000 $11,250 Endowed Research Fund $250,000 $11,250
Other Naming Opportunities
Term Current Use Impact Gifts
Term current use impact gifts establish a current use fund that provides multi-year support at the same level as an endowed fund’s distributions. Commitments must be 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 Min. 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.
More Information
For more information about Endowments, please contact:
Scott Barrett
Senior Associate Vice President for Advancement
(631) 632-9128