Endowed Gifts
Endowment gifts are long-term investments aimed at securing the success of the Health System for years to come. These gifts are retained and invested to produce sufficient income to support student scholarships, faculty professorships, and other important programs. The original gift made to an endowment fund is known as the principal, and the principal of an endowment cannot be spent. Instead, a portion of the annual interest from the investment is used to fund the program being supported. This allows the gift to make an impact in perpetuity as it continues to generate income.

Endowed Giving Opportunities in Education
Funding a deanship, professorship, or scholarship allows the donor to make an indelible mark on the UVa Health System and its programs. These gifts bring with them the opportunity to pay lasting tribute to the donor or to honor a loved one, a friend, or a colleague. Donors may name endowments created at these levels.

Endowed Deanships ($5 Million)
Gifts of $5 million or more can endow a deanship in the Schools of Medicine and Nursing.  Income generated by endowments help pay salaries and help recruit exciting new faculty to Grounds.  Named deanships are a powerful tool for recruiting and retaining strong leaders.

Endowed Professorships ($2 Million)
Gifts of $2 million or more can endow professorships in the Schools of Medicine and Nursing.  Endowed professorships enhance the scholarly pursuits of a program or department.  Providing salary support, endowed professorships allow the Health System to attract gifted teachers and to retain those already on faculty.

Matching by the Commonwealth
A portion of the income generated by chair endowments is eligible for matching funds from Virginia's Eminent Scholars Program, which encourages private funding for faculty support by increasing the spending power of the donor's endowment.

Scholarships and Fellowships ($250,000 - $500,000)
In the face of rising tuition and fees, scholarships make it possible for the University to offer enrollment to qualified students regardless of their financial means. Equally important are graduate fellowships, which help the University compete for the best students entering advanced study.

A scholarship or fellowship may be endowed and named by the donor with gifts at two levels, $250,000 and $500,000.

Created by the 1990 General Assembly, the Virginia Graduate and Undergraduate Assistance Program, resembling the Eminent Scholars program for faculty, provides student financial assistance to undergraduate and graduate students at the state's public institutions through a combination of private endowment earnings and matching state funds. The program received its first funding in fiscal year 1992-93.

Qualifying endowments established after July 1, 1991 are eligible to participate in the program.

Other Endowed Gifts
Commemorative or memorial opportunities are also available for gifts at the following levels:

 

Endowed Faculty Fund for Excellence ($1 Million)
Gifts of $1 million or more support teaching and research by endowing a Faculty Fund for Excellence in a particular department or program.  These funds can be used for partial salary support or research support and allow faculty to pursue research at the forefront of their fields.

Endowed Named Research Fund ($500,000)
Gifts of $500,000 or more support a named research fund.  Research funds are essential for exploring and discovering new frontiers in medicine and assist with pursuing cutting-edge research.

Endowed Lectureships ($100,000)
Funds generated by an endowed lectureship provide honoria for bringing distinguished scholars to the University.  Academic scholars consider it a high honor to be invited to deliver a named lecture.

Memorial or Commemorative Endowed Gift Fund ($50,000)
These gifts may be named at the discretion of the donor and designated for any school, department, or program in the UVa Health System.

Prizes and Awards ($50,000)
An endowed prize or award allows the University, or any individual school or department, to recognize outstanding performances by students, faculty, or other members of the UVa community.  Prizes or awards established with a gift of $50,000 or more may be named by the donor.

Book Funds ($50,000)
Funds generated by an endowed book fund provide the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library with the ability to purchase texts or journals and make important additions to its collections.