Endowment
Gifts to fund an endowment may be made in the form of cash or any other donation that can earn income. Typically, this would include such things as securities, insurance, and/or property. Past donors have directed the income from their endowments to provide support for research, departmental requirements, the maintenance or replacement of equipment, library acquisitions, lectureships, and student-related programs such as scholarships and bursaries.
Unrestricted Gifts
Unrestricted gifts to the University’s General Endowment Funds provide Brandon University with maximum flexibility in the use of annual income and help ensure the continued financial well-being of the institution. Gifts of all sizes are appreciated.
Restricted Gifts
The amount of capital required to establish a restricted endowment depends on the purpose it supports. Requirements range from $5,000 for awards, prizes, scholarships and bursaries, $10,000 to support special projects, to $1 million to fully fund academic positions. Many valuable visiting lectureship programs, research grants, special travel and educational opportunity grants, professorships, scholarships and bursaries are supported by endowments. We would be pleased to provide you with an idea of the funding required to provide endowed support to your special interest
Managing Endowments at BU
Brandon University’s endowed funds are managed by a professional investment company. A pool of capital, prudently and astutely invested, yields a substantial annual income year after year.
Preservation of Capital
The principle of preserving capital is fundamental to the University’s philosophy on endowments. This means protecting the value of the endowment in real terms so that the original capital amount is adjusted for inflation.
To achieve this objective, the fund managers will return a portion of the annual investment earnings to the capital fund which helps to offset inflation. These undistributed earnings will ensure that the purchasing power of the endowment is preserved over time.