Create an Endowment
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Establishing an endowment is a way to perpetually lend your support to Stephen F. Austin State University. Below are some frequently asked questions about endowments and their establishment.

What is an endowment?
An endowment is a gift made to the SFASU Foundation, Inc. to be held in perpetuity. This means that the gift is invested, and only a portion of its average annual earnings is used for purposes specified by the donor. The remaining investment return is added back to the principle to offset inflation.

Information to consider when creating an endowment:

What type of endowment is it?

  • Fellowship/Assistantship
  • Endowed Scholarship
  • Professorship/Deanship/Academic Chair
  • Staff Position
  • Lecture Series
  • Research Fund 

What will the name of the Endowment be?

If you are creating the endowment in honor or memory of someone, let us know why. Please provide a brief description of who the person is and why he/she is important to you.

What will the initial gift amount be, and when will it be given?

Will other individuals be giving to this endowment?

What is the purpose of the endowment?
Consider which academic or athletic area the endowment will support.

If the endowment is a scholarship, think about the criteria the recipient must have.
GPA
Major
Undergraduate vs. Graduate

How are endowments managed?
The endowment investment policy of the SFASU Foundation, Inc. has a dual goal of preserving the purchasing power of the assets throughout time and providing a stable flow of funds to meet distribution commitments. This, in turn, will allow future generations to benefit from the endowment at the same level as the current generation.

To ensure that an endowment produces sufficient funds in support of a particular area designated by the donor, both now and in the future, the Foundation has established minimum monetary support levels for various types of endowments.

Types of endowments:

Fellowships/Assistantships 
Fellowship awards may include a research or teaching assignment if deemed appropriate. Assistantships require students to work in exchange for this support.
 

Minimum endowment levels: 

  • Endowed Postdoctoral Fellowship: $350,000
  • Endowed Fellowship: $250,000
  • Endowed Assistantship: $250,000

Endowed Scholarships
Scholarships enable SFA to attract and provide educational opportunities to many talented and deserving students. Endowed scholarships may be named in honor or memory of someone. Donors may determine the criteria for how the scholarship funds will be awarded whether it is based on financial or academic need.

Minimum endowment levels: 

  • Named endowed full-tuition and feels scholarship: $300,000
  • Named "scholars program": $1,000,000
  • Other scholarships: $25,000

Professorship/Deanship/Academic Chair
An endowed faculty chair or professorship provides resource funds that distinguish a faculty member's work, reward achievement in the academic world and enable the professor to pursue new areas of research or innovate teaching methods. This type of endowment allows SFA to attract and retain the finest scholars. 

Minimum endowment levels:

  • Deanship: $5,000,000
  • Endowed Academic Chair: $1,000,000
  • Endowed Professorship: $250,000

Staff Positions
Distributed earnings of named staff positions may be used to provide partial salary support and to help fund any purpose in the division, with the preference to non-recurring expenses of the unit (non-salary). 

Minimum endowment levels: 

  • Vice President: $5,000,000
  • Department Head: $1,000,000
  • Program Director: $500,000

Lecture Series
Lecture series allow faculty, staff, students, and the larger SFASU community to interact with distinguished leaders who influence disciplines, society, the nation, or the world

Minimum endowment levels

  • Annual Lecture Series: $250,000
  • Biennial Lecture Series: $200,000

Research Funds - minimum endowment level of $200,000
Named research funds provide laboratory equipment, research materials, technology enhancements, and staff support. 
 

Can an endowed gift be funded over a period of time? 

Endowed gifts can be created up to a five-year period with the ultimate goal of reaching the minimum level for that particular type of endowment. For instance, it takes $20,000 minimum to endow a scholarship. A donor may opt to pay $4,000 each year for five years to reach the scholarship endowment level. Once the minimum level is reached, additional contributions may be made at any time.

For more information about creating an endowment in support of SFA, please contact Trey Turner.
Phone - 936.468.5406
Toll Free - 800.319.9517
E-mail - givetosfa@sfasu.edu
Give
Office of Development
Mail:
P.O. Box 6092 - SFA Station
Nacogdoches, Texas 75962-6092
Office:
2102 Alumni Drive
Austin Bldg. Ste. 303
Phone: 800.319.9517
Phone: 936.468.5406
Fax: 936.468.7025
givetosfa@sfasu.edu