Santa Clara University

The Endowment at Santa Clara University

Building the Santa Clara endowment has long been one of the highest priorities of University leadership. In Father Locatelli’s first Convocation speech to the faculty (in 1988), he said that “to build programs of lasting quality depends on having a permanent source of funds. This means endowment. Endowments of the leading universities allow them to make the long-term investments that educational quality demands.”

Endowed gifts are meant to exist in perpetuity, and are invested for long-term growth. Each year, a portion of the fund’s earnings is made available in the form of a payout. The payout is usually 5 percent or less of the fund’s value at the beginning of the fiscal year. The Board of Trustees, in consultation with the University, may vary the spending rate to meet the needs of the endowment, to adjust to market conditions, and to ensure preservation of capital. Return on the endowment exceeding the normal spending allocation is typically added to the principal of the endowment.

Scholarships

Santa Clara’s ability to continue building an extraordinary community of scholars depends on generous gifts to scholarships, year after year. At Santa Clara, endowed scholarship funds are assigned according to need and merit, honoring the interests and designation of the donor.

In addition to meeting pressing financial needs, students connect with the donors who have supported them, through annual letters or campus visits, creating a relationship with the generous partners who have supported their educational aspirations.

Since its founding in 1851, Santa Clara has educated students regardless of financial circumstances. That commitment continues today because all of us at Santa Clara know that an education is important to these students, their families, and society. Gifts to endowed scholarships make this practice a reality.