When you think about Texas A&M University 25 years from now, what do you hope to see? Maybe it’s important to know that a student organization you participated in is still thriving, or maybe you’d like to see the department you graduated from offering expanded programs and concentrations to improve student learning. Perhaps you envision an Aggie much like you growing from the academics and extracurriculars offered on campus, or maybe you’d really enjoy knowing that new research is unfolding in a field that interests you.
The fact is, you have the opportunity to help shape the bright future you envision for Texas A&M through an endowment, a rewarding way to give that creates long-term impact for Aggieland. Our team at the Texas A&M Foundation specializes in helping donors from all walks of life create meaningful endowments, and we’re here to illustrate what a simple process this can be.
Understand the benefits. It helps to think of an endowment as a long-term investment. Created through a gift of $25,000 or more, an endowment is simply a permanent fund that the Foundation invests for Texas A&M’s benefit. As the donor, a major perk is that you get to designate what your endowment supports on campus—for example, a scholarship, college program, student organization, or faculty and research. Every endowment we receive is invested in our long-term investment pool, valued at more than $2.8 billion. Each year, distributions from this pool will support the purpose you designated on campus, while your original contribution remains invested to continue growing. Over time, the distributions from your endowment will exceed the amount of your original gift, meaning Aggieland reaps significantly more benefit over the long term!
Meet with our team. Creating an endowment is a conversation. You’ll meet with one of our expert development officers, who specialize in helping individuals craft gifts that support their passions on campus while simultaneously meeting university needs. They’ll want to know about your Texas A&M experiences, your life goals and values, and your financial and charitable objectives to help craft an endowment that reflects who you are.
Decide your giving method. It’s true that the minimum cost to fund an endowment is $25,000, but don’t let that discourage you. You can fund your endowment with pledge payments over a period of up to five years, and options like employer matching gifts or pooling funds with friends and family can make the minimum more attainable. As for what assets to use, endowments can be funded with cash, securities, real estate, donor-advised funds or IRA qualified charitable distributions. If you don’t have the assets to give today, you can also fund an endowment through your estate. We have an entire planned giving team dedicated to helping individuals with after-lifetime gifts for Texas A&M, and some of these methods even offer financial advantages today.
Sign a gift agreement. Your commitment to funding an endowment will be documented in a signed gift agreement with the Foundation. This outlines the designated purpose for your endowment and helps us ensure that funds are used accordingly on campus. It also specifies the endowment’s name, which you can make in your name or in honor of someone special to you. And unlike many university foundations, the Foundation doesn’t charge fees on your gift, meaning that as you finalize your agreement, you can rest assured that 100% of your donation will directly impact the cause you designated.
Enjoy the rewards. The beauty of endowments is the legacy they create over time. Compared to a $25,000 cash gift that is used immediately to benefit campus, a $25,000 endowment invested over the long term will eventually provide even more support. Consider, for example, one donor’s $25,000 scholarship endowment created in 1994. In the ensuing 30 years, distributions from the endowment have totaled $52,088 and supported 52 Aggies with scholarship stipends. Through an endowment, you can always be proud knowing that you’re making the future you envision for Aggieland a reality.
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