Endowment FAQ

When you give an endowment gift, you are investing in Niagara University’s future and our ability to continue preparing graduates for lives and careers that are both successful and fulfilling.

An endowment is an invested pool of money that provides an annual income stream. The initial endowment gift is invested and up to 5% is drawn annually to support the specified designation of the endowed fund. The endowment draw begins after the third year of investment. A strong endowment will build fiscal sustainability for Niagara University by providing a dependable and perpetual source of funding.

An endowment gift can provide assurance that programs or initiatives that are important to you will have the funding to continue in the future. The perpetual nature of an endowment makes this type of gift a nice way to honor or memorialize someone meaningful to you.

You can give at the endowment level through an outright cash or stock gift or a pledge over a period of up to five years. Many make endowment gifts through planned giving vehicles, allowing them to have a larger impact that an outright gift might allow.

Yes, giving to an existing endowed fund can be a meaningful way to support a university effort or to honor a friend or relative. If you would prefer to give to an existing endowed fund, you can indicate the designation when you make your gift

Endowment Opportunities

Endowed Academic Chair (Honorific Title)

  • Amount – $3,500,000
  • Approximated Annual Draw – $175,000

Endowed Professorship

  • Amount –  $2,000,000 – $2,500,000
  • Approximated Annual Draw – $100,000 – $125,000

Endowed Directorship

  • Amount – $1,000,000
  • Approximated Annual Draw – $50,000

Endowed Visiting Professorship

  • Amount – $250,000
  • Approximated Annual Draw – $12,500

Endowed Research Fellowship

  • Amount – $50,000
  • Approximated Annual Draw – $2,500

Endowed Program Fund or Lectureship Series

  • Amount – $100,000
  • Approximated Annual Draw – $5,000

Endowed Scholarship

  • Amount – $50,000
  • Approximated Annual Draw – $2,500

Endowed Levesque Institute Director

  • Amount – $2,000,000
  • Approximate Annual Draw – $100,000

Endowed Levesque Institute Program Fund

  • Amount – $50,000
  • Approximated Annual Draw – $2,500

Endowed Castellani Art Museum Director

  • Amount – $3,000,000
  • Approximated Annual Draw – $150,000

Endowed Castellani Art Museum Curator

  • Amount – $2,000,000
  • Approximated Annual Draw – $100,000

To learn more about the Castellani Art Museum, contact Museum Director Ellen Owens at 716.286.8293.

Endowed Head Coach – Hockey or Basketball

  • Amount – $2,000,000
  • Approximated Annual Draw – $100,000

Endowed Director of Athletics

  • Amount – $1,5000,000
  • Approximated Annual Draw – $75,000

Endowed Assistant Coach – Hockey or Basketball

  • Amount – $1,000,000
  • Approximated Annual Draw – $50,000

Endowed Head Coach – Other Sports

  • Amount – $1,000,000
  • Approximated Annual Draw – $50,000