Endowment gifts to the University of Rochester ensure support for today while providing for educational and research excellence and innovation far into the future. Endowed gifts are invested and managed by the University in perpetuity. A portion of the investment earnings is spent, while the original gifts are preserved as principal. In this way, endowed gifts have far greater earning power; a one-time gift lasts forever. Rochester’s overall endowment supports education and research, financial aid, facilities and the latest technology. With a strong endowment, the University can recruit the best faculty, researchers, health care professionals and students; keep up with new knowledge and develop new ways to share it; and attract the most visionary leaders.
Donors may restrict gifts for specific purposes, such as establishing student scholarships, creating professorships, instituting new programs, or constructing new facilities. Unrestricted gifts can support general operations or special initiatives.
Create an Endowment
For more information about creating an endowment, please contact:
Leslie J. Zornow
Executive Director of Donor Engagement, University Advancement
Bloch Alumni and Advancement Center
585-276-7455
lzornow@ur.rochester.edu
Areas to Support
Faculty Support: Endowed deanships, department chairs, directorships and professorships attract and retain faculty and staff of exceptional talent. Endowed positions are one of the most prestigious and visible honors at the University. As a key priority of The Meliora Challenge, the University added 103 endowed professorships, deanships and directorships.
Deanships: ($5 Million or more)
Help support the salary, benefits, research space, special projects, programming and areas of critical need for the academic dean of any one of the divisions of the University.
Department Chairs: ($3 Million or more)
Help support the salary, benefits and research of the department chair.
Directorships: ($2.5 Million or more)
Help support a director of a research of clinical center, administrative department or division of the University.
Professorships
Help support the salary, benefits, research and programming for the individual who holds the professorship. Several types of endowed professorships exist at the University: Distinguished Professorships ($2 million or more), Professorships ($1.5 million or more), Visiting Professorships ($1 million or more)
Student Support: : Endowed scholarships attract and retain the brightest and most talented students to the University.
Endowed Scholarships ($50,000 minimum or more)
*School or unit minimums may differ. Please contact Donor Engagement.
Research Support: Endowed research funds support leading research efforts, enhancing the University’s programs and bringing new discoveries to the world.
Endowed Research Fund: ($25,000 or more)
Directly support educational projects or research, providing for laboratory equipment, research materials or other research expenses.