The Power of Endowment

Endowment gifts ensure that an organization, cause or program you care about receives steady financial support on a regular basis, in perpetuity. Nonprofit recipients can count on these dollars and plan their work accordingly.

Endowment gifts also ensure that your legacy is remembered for generations to come, in service of the things about which you care most.

When you make an endowment gift, the dollars are invested for the long term. A percentage of the total endowment is granted to the beneficiary you've named on a regular basis. The endowment is managed with the goal of growing at least at the pace of inflation, so that your gift will always maintain its buying power. Choose an amount in the endowment calculator below to see an estimate of grants over time and the market value of your fund.

Confused by the many terms related to endowment? Our Endowment Glossary can help, download the glossary here.

Assumptions of the Endowment Calculator

Endowment calculations are estimates only, and should not be construed as an accurate prediction of the future. The calculator assumes an 8 percent investment target, 4 percent annual spending and 1 percent administrative fees. It assumes investment for a year before grantmaking, meaning that Year 1 is the first year of grantmaking.  It also assumes that excess ROI (over fees and spending) is reinvested 100 percent back into the fund.