Endowments are often referred to as the “gifts that keep on giving.” Endowments are perpetual and give donors the opportunity to support multiple generations of students and faculty, thereby making a lasting impact on Stony Brook.
Endowments are permanently invested by the Stony Brook Foundation, and a portion of the income generated by that investment is used for the purpose you wish to support, such as undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, supplemental salary support for faculty, research, lectureships, specific programs, discretionary use, or other purposes. Another portion of the income is reinvested each year, enabling the endowment principal to grow, maintain its “spending power” against inflation, and provide a permanent stream of income over time. The principal is never spent and remains intact. The Stony Brook Foundation endowment policy provides for an annual program distribution of 4.5% of a 5-year rolling average of the endowment market value.
An endowment can create a wonderful and permanent legacy for you or serve as a thoughtful and lasting tribute to a loved one, friend, colleague, or favorite professor. A gift to create a new endowment may be made in the form of a multi-year pledge, with gift payments made over a period of up to five (5) years. The minimum gift to establish an endowment is $25,000.
We invite you to learn more about the many types of endowments available (below) to support your area(s) of interest.
Types of Endowments
Student Endowments
Gifts that fund undergraduate scholarship and graduate fellowship endowments make it possible for Stony Brook to attract and retain the best undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of their financial circumstances. Each year, Stony Brook University Libraries provide selected student employees with a scholarship or fellowship award to recognize their contribution to the advancement of education, scholarship and research in their role as library employees. You can make a difference by contributing to an existing endowed scholarship or fellowship fund or by establishing a new endowment to benefit students.
| Type | Minimum Gift | Estimated Annual Impact |
| Endowed Presidential Scholarship | $1,000,000 | $45,000 |
| Endowed Full Scholarship (full undergraduate tuition and fees) | $200,000 | $9,000 |
| Endowed Full Graduate Fellowship (full graduate tuition and fees) | $300,000 | $13,500 |
| Endowed Graduate Fellowship (partial scholarship award) | $200,000 | $9,000 |
| Endowed Scholarship (partial scholarship award) | $100,000 | $4,500 |
| URECA Endowed Research Scholarship (partial scholarship award) | $100,000 | $4,500 |
Faculty Endowments
Since its founding, a hallmark of Stony Brook University has been its remarkable faculty, comprised of Nobel Laureates, MacArthur Fellows, Pulitzer Prize winners, Emmy and Grammy Award winners, and members of prestigious academic and scientific organizations. These distinguished individuals are crucial to the fabric of our dynamic environment of intensive learning, scholarly research, and the translation of new knowledge into benefits for the greater community. You can help to ensure that the University can continue to recruit and retain leading researchers and teachers through your support of endowed faculty chairs, professorships and fellowships.
| Type | Minimum Gift | Estimated Annual Impact |
| Endowed Presidential Chair | $5,000,000 | $225,000 |
| Endowed Distinguished Chair | $2,500,000 | $112,500 |
| Endowed Chair | $1,500,000 | $67,500 |
| Endowed Professorship | $750,000 | $33,750 |
| Endowed Faculty Fellowship | $500,000 | $22,500 |
Program Endowments
Endowments that support programs and special initiatives at Stony Brook ensure the long-term viability of important, cutting-edge instructional, research, and public service activities that make the University a world-class institution. Whether you want to provide our researchers with advanced equipment for research, eager students with opportunities for cultural exploration and cultural enrichment, or preserve and promote important, endangered collections that give clues to our past, while also pointing researchers toward the discoveries of tomorrow — program endowments offer a means to make a difference for a specific endeavor.
| Type | Minimum Gift | Estimated Annual Impact |
| Endowed Lectureship | $250,000 | $11,250 |
| Endowed Research Fund | $250,000 | $11,250 |
Term Endowment Impact Gifts
Term endowment impact gifts require a multi-year current use commitment that equals the spendable impact of endowment distributions. Commitments must be at least four years and may be renewed in increments of four or more years. These gifts qualify for a fund named in recognition of the donor or honoree for the duration of the funding period. The following are examples of term endowment opportunities.
| Type | Minimum Gift Per Year | Total Min. Commitment |
| Term Scholarship | $4,500 | $18,000 |
| Term Graduate Fellowship | $9,000 | $36,000 |
| Term Faculty Fellowship | $33,750 | $135,000 |
Naming Centers and Institutes
Centers and institutes may be named in recognition of an endowed gift. The minimum amount for a particular center or institute is determined on a case by case basis dependent on the size and scope of the program’s number of faculty and students and budget.
| Type | Minimum Gift |
| Endowed Research Institute Fund | $5,000,000+ |
| Endowed Institute Fund | $3,000,000+ |
| Endowed Center Fund | $1,500,000+ |
Naming Buildings and Rooms
Buildings may be named in recognition of an endowed gift. The minimum amount for a particular building is determined on a case by case basis dependent on the size and purpose of the building.
The minimum gift for a named room or other physical space within a building is $100,000 but may be more based on the size and purpose of the space.
More Information
For more information about Endowments, please contact:
University Libraries Development
631-942-5399
joan.mccormick@stonybrook.edu
