Endowment FAQs

• How do endowments work?

  When you create an endowment with a charitable gift, your investment is built to last. The FIU Foundation places your contribution into a long-term investment pool. Each year, a portion of the fund’s market value—typically around 4%—is made available to support the purpose you’ve chosen, while the principal remains intact to grow over time.

  Here’s an example: a $25,000 endowment, once fully established, typically generates about $1,000 per year in spendable funds starting around year three. That funding is directed exactly where you intended—whether that’s student scholarships, research, or another area close to your heart.

  Want to make an immediate impact? Many donors add a one-time, non-endowed gift to begin supporting their cause right away, while the endowment grows.

• What Is an Endowed Chair or Professorship—and Why Does It Matter?

  Endowed chairs and professorships are among the most prestigious and powerful investments in academic excellence. Funded in perpetuity, these positions provide ongoing support for faculty and their work—fueling breakthrough research, innovative teaching, and thought leadership.

  They do more than recognize excellence—they help FIU compete for top-tier talent from around the world. Whether it’s attracting rising stars or retaining nationally recognized experts, endowed roles are a magnet for the minds that move entire fields forward.

  They also elevate the university’s reputation, signaling strength and expertise in key disciplines. For donors, it’s a way to leave a lasting legacy—one that drives discovery, empowers students, and advances knowledge for generations.

• Why Are Endowed Scholarships So Powerful?

  Endowed scholarships don’t just help students attend FIU—they help them cross the finish line. These lasting gifts open doors for students from all backgrounds, removing financial barriers and fueling academic and career success.

  With more than two-thirds of FIU students relying on financial aid, the demand is real—and growing. Endowed scholarships provide sustainable support, year after year, for undergraduate and graduate students who need it most.

  You can tailor your scholarship to reflect what matters most to you—whether it’s based on financial need, academic excellence, a specific college or major, or supporting first-generation students.

  Even better: Gifts supporting first-generation scholarships are currently matched 200% by the State of Florida—tripling your impact and helping even more Panthers thrive.

• Why are endowed programs so important?

  Endowed programs are game-changers. They provide lasting, reliable funding for initiatives that drive innovation, solve real-world challenges, and elevate FIU’s impact—locally and globally.

  From advancing medical research to fueling breakthroughs in food production, endowed program support empowers faculty, students, and researchers to think bigger, act boldly, and sustain progress over time. 

  With nearly limitless potential, these endowments ensure the programs you care about don’t just exist—they thrive.

• Why should you consider an endowment?

  Endowments are FIU’s financial foundation—driving excellence, innovation, and impact across generations. When you establish an endowment, you’re not just giving—you’re building a legacy that permanently supports what matters most to you: scholarships, fellowships, faculty, research, or transformative programs.

  This enduring investment ensures your values live on through meaningful action. It also signals to the world that visionary philanthropists believe in FIU’s mission and are committed to its long-term success.

  Endowments don’t just sustain progress—they elevate it.