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How Endowed Gifts Work

Establishing an endowed fund at WSU is easy. A development officer will guide you through the process and discuss options that fit your situation. Generally, the procedure for endowing a fund is as follows:

  • With a minimum gift of $25,000, you can establish an endowment at the WSU Foundation for the benefit of Washington State University. Options are available to allow you to reach the $25,000 minimum over time.
  • The use and purpose of the endowed gift is documented in a written Gift Use Agreement (GUA) between the donor, WSU, and the WSU Foundation. Once established, your endowment fund will be used exclusively for the purpose outlined in the GUA.
  • Your endowment is prudently invested along with all endowed funds at the WSU Foundation. The Foundation’s investment portfolio is diversified to provide healthy long-term returns that should outperform the general market over time while minimizing losses during market downturns.
  • Each year, a percentage of your endowed fund’s 36-month rolling average value is distributed to benefit WSU as designated in the GUA. Investment growth beyond the annual expenditure to the University and advancement fee is added to the principal to help protect the fund against inflation and market fluctuations.
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