Endowments

Endowments create a steady, predictable and perpetual source of income to support students, advance programming, and drive research initiatives that shape our local and global communities.

By supporting an endowment, you can join a family of donors who believe in building a stable foundation for a brighter collective future. The minimum contribution required to establish an endowment is $50,000, though this amount may change over time. There are various ways to achieve your funding goals. For example, you could create a new endowment over a period of up to five years by donating $10,000 per year, or choose to make a single contribution. Additionally, some donors choose to undertake fundraising efforts with classmates or family and friends, while others choose to create endowments through a legacy gift. Regardless of how you want to get involved, we will do our best to support your wishes.

If creating your own named endowment isn’t a fit, the U of A has more than 3,300 endowments that provide annual funding for students, research and operations. Giving any amount to an existing endowment ensures that your investment will keep on giving.

Contact us today

Call 780-492-7400 or 1-888-799-9899 | Email giving@ualberta.ca

Benefits of giving with an endowment

  • Endowments ensure stable, predictable funding for the causes that matter most to you.
  • Funds will help students, research and/or other causes in perpetuity.
  • While a minimum giving threshold of $50,000 is required to create a new endowment, there are flexible funding models and more than 3,300 existing endowments that can be supported with any amount.

Establishing a new endowment - How it works

  1. You reach out to our team with an idea for an endowed gift. If you do not already have a contact, email giving@ualberta.ca.
  2. One of our team members works with you to ensure you have the opportunity to explore the giving path that is right for you.
  3. When you decide to support a new endowment, you will work with our team to determine a fund name and purpose. 
  4. Once the name and purpose are defined, documentation is signed and the first gift is made, your endowment is invested in the U of A Endowment Pool and opened the following month.
  5. The endowment begins earning interest immediately. Those first-year earnings are reinvested in the principal account. The annual spending allocation is available on April 1 annually. Therefore, if you create an endowment in November, it opens and is invested on December 1. The earnings between December 1 and March 31 are reinvested in the principal. On April 1, the full spending allocation is made available for the new fiscal year.
  6. Donors receive regular reporting on the endowed funds they create. Annual Endowment Fund Reports are sent to donors in late summer. For requests related to Endowment Fund Reporting, please contact Donor Relations at thankyou@ualberta.ca or 1-866-492-7419.
Gerry and Barbara Sinn

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“We've given annually to the U of A, and we felt like we're in a position where we could do something more permanent. So we thought about the endowment route for the Indigenous Health Program. This is something that will last beyond our lives and continue to help long after we're no longer around.

Gerry and Barbara Sinn

Frequently Asked Questions about Endowments

How is the University of Alberta endowment managed?

The University of Alberta's investment strategy is based on ensuring continued endowment growth and sustainable funding over time. When management calculates the annual spending allocation for the upcoming year, they apply a formula of 4% of the 60-month average market value on December 31. This calculation is designed to help ensure that the endowment continues to grow and provide predictable long-term relative support for students, researchers, academic programs, libraries, museums, facilities and a number of other activities designated through donor support.

Can the amount used from the endowment change from year to year?
Yes. Endowment fund earnings are subject to change due to a variety of factors, including fluctuations in investment markets and changes in investment policies. Spending allocation policies are also subject to change. As a result, the amount spent for the fund's purpose, which is a percentage of the endowment's value, can also vary from year to year.
How much goes to administrative fees and investment costs?
In 2025-26, 1.4% of the value of the university's total endowment was directed to fees and expenses. An administrative fee of $8.9 million, or 0.5% of the endowment value, is used to support centrally funded indirect costs associated with the endowment program. In addition, investment management fees last year were $18 million or 0.9%.
Is it possible that nothing would be awarded from an endowment?
Yes, although the university undertakes every effort to ensure funding is awarded annually, there are occasions when spending may not occur or may be delayed. Some examples include: there are no qualified students for an award; a student declines an award after the award deadline; a student transfers programs and becomes ineligible for renewal; a change in leadership for an academic professor or Chair leads to a vacancy; endowment criteria are highly specific and fund terms cannot be met. If you require more information on why your endowment was not spent, please contact Donor Relations at thankyou@ualberta.ca or 1-866-492-7419. 
How are unspent endowment spending allocations handled?
The managing unit reviews spending balances annually to determine and implement the most appropriate plan for using any unspent funding from prior years. This may result in spending increases immediately (the next year) or over a two- to three-year period.
If I fund an endowment over time, when will earnings first be spent?
Generally, once the total value of the endowment reaches $50,000, earnings are available for spending in the next fiscal year, beginning April 1. For example, if you donate $50,000 in December. Spending will be available for the student, researcher or program any time after April 1 (3 months). If you donate on April 3rd, your donation will be invested and accrue interest until the following April 1 (11 months).
How has the university's endowment performed over time?

Since the UEP’s inception in 1989, performance has been strong with a 9.5% annualized return, well ahead of the 7.6% historical rate of total spending, expenses and inflation.

What is the university doing to mitigate any negative economic impacts on endowment funds?
Under the regular oversight of the Board Investment Committee, management works with a diversified group of professional investment managers to implement strategies designed to take advantage of opportunities and mitigate risks where appropriate. To see a comprehensive list of all the shares that the university directly or indirectly holds in publicly traded companies and a list of investment manager relationships, visit the University Endowment Pool Disclosure website.
Who decides how returns on endowments are spent and allocated?

The Board Investment Committee reviews the spending and investment policies annually and recommends changes to the Board of Governors. The university manages the University Endowment Pool in accordance with the University Funds Investment Policy and the University Endowment Pool Spending Policy. The spending policy is designed to smooth out market fluctuations using a 60-month rolling average. Both policies and additional information are available at uab.ca/invest.

Is there a place where I can read more on how the University Endowment Pool is performing?

Yes. The Board of Governors’ Investment Committee produces an annual report. Current and previous investment reports can be found here.