Endowment Funds

Endowment gifts often are referred to as the gifts that keep on giving, since they are held in perpetuity. Linfield College permanently invests the initial gift and spends a portion of the average annual investment return. The amount to be spent, called the payout rate, is set by the Board of Trustees (for 2008-2009, the payout rate is 4.5 percent). A portion of the income is reinvested each year, enabling the endowment to grow and provide a permanent stream of income.

Unrestricted gifts to the endowment are the most versatile of all. Gifts given without restriction allow endowment earnings to support the educational mission of Linfield and enable the college to respond to emerging needs and opportunities as they arise. Unrestricted funds allow Linfield to award more scholarships, attract top faculty, develop innovative lectureships and programs, and provide the best learning environment possible for our students. Although  Linfield has been able to serve more students with less endowment money and fewer employees than many other institutions, increasing the support of our endowment will continue to enrich the Linfield experience, and ensure it is available to students from diverse backgrounds for years to come.

Why size matters

Increasing the endowment benefits Linfield College in many ways. It is crucial both to Linfield's immediate success and its long-term strength. Many of the schools with which the college competes for students have endowments many times the size of ours. Increasing the endowment maintains the quality of academic life on campus by supporting exceptional faculty, outstanding facilities, challenging academic programs and talented students, and sustains the college's position as one of the finest of its kind. Those who are able to make gifts at the endowment level may wish to use this gift as a naming opportunity. Endowment funds may be named in honor or in memory of a person or persons, family, organization or business.

Naming opportunities are also available through our capital construction projects.

Support for Faculty

Endowed Professorship: The minimum gift required to establish an endowed professorship for a new position is $2,000,000, payable within five years. ($100,000 annual earnings)

The minimum gift required to establish an endowed professorship for an existing position is $1,000,000, payable within five years. ($50,000 annual earnings)

Visiting Professorship: The minimum gift required to establish a visiting professorship is $500,000. The annual earnings will be used to invite distinguished scholars to campus to teach, offer seminars, and give public lectures for one semester ($25,000 annual earnings)

Lectureship: The minimum gift required to establish an endowed lectureship is $100,000. Annual earnings will be used to bring faculty from another institution or organization to campus for class visitations and to provide a public lecture. ($5,000 annual earnings)

Endowed Faculty Development Fund: The minimum gift required to establish an endowed faculty development fund is $50,000, payable within three years. The annual earnings will be used to support faculty research, travel, and curriculum development. ($2,500 annual earnings)

Endowed Collaborative Research Fund: The minimum gift required to establish an endowed collaborative research fund is $50,000, payable within three years. The annual earnings will be used to support projects designed to involve students in faculty-guided research. ($2,500 annual earnings)

Endowed Library or Program Fund: The minimum gift required to establish an endowed library or program fund is $10,000, payable within one year. The annual earnings will be used to enhance library or program resources. ($500 annual earnings)

Support for Students

A gift of any amount may be designated for the support of scholarships and will reside in a pooled scholarship fund. Pooled funds for study abroad and career development opportunities can be created as needed. Only endowed funds meeting threshold criteria will be named.

Scholarships: The minimum gift required to establish a named endowed scholarship is $30,000, payable in three years. ($1,500 annual earnings)

Linfield enrollment numbers are based on McMinnville campus, Portland campus, and DCE enrollment.

Data Source: Portland Business Journal; June 23, 2006, p. 21.

For more information about supporting Linfield please contact Kurstin Finch Gnehm '97, director of annual giving, by email or at 503-883-2492.