Endowed giving

The endowment is a composite fund made up of contributions by donors who have made enduring gifts to the University. Endowed funds provide a foundation of support for faculty, students, and a broad array of programs and initiatives.

When you create an endowed fund—typically a pledge paid over five years—you may choose to name the fund for yourself, your family, or for any individual you would like to honor, such as a parent, classmate, or professor. You will receive recognition through the Chicago Society as well as an annual account of the growth of your fund and, once fully funded, yearly reports on the impact of your gift.

Explore the areas below to find the best fit for your philanthropic goals.

Scholarships, fellowships, and internships

Provide financial support for students, which helps the University to attract, retain, and advance the most qualified and diverse students regardless of their origin or situation. Diverse viewpoints are essential to education and research at UChicago. Rigorous inquiry that includes a broad range of perspectives prepares students for flexible, analytical thinking and supports collaborative, interdisciplinary research with the potential to transform fields of knowledge and improve lives around the world.

Professorships

Establish prestigious named professorships, which drive innovative, standard-setting education and research by recognizing and investing in leading faculty across every discipline/field. The prestige of endowed professorships positions the University to compete with peer institutions to attract, retain, and support leading scholars who train new generations of leaders and advance new insights, solutions, and cures.

Visiting scholars and lectureships

Endow programs that support the influx of thinkers on campus—the hallmark of an intellectual destination because of the dynamic exchange of ideas it supports. Endowments for visiting experts support the collaborative, interdisciplinary research that defines UChicago scholarship and education.

Institutes, centers, and programs

Invest in research, collaboration, and discussion that bring together scholars across disciplines and around the world. UChicago institutes, centers, and programs—such as the Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society, Urban Labs, the Stevanovich Institute on the Formation of Knowledge, and the Becker Friedman Institute for Research in Economics—drive discovery at the cutting edge of research and practice. These initiatives also break down barriers between schools and divisions, connecting scholars across a variety of disciplines to address challenges and opportunities in complex and emerging fields.

Unrestricted endowments

Make an endowed gift designated for general use, including gifts to the President’s Fund, which provide the greatest flexibility to address emerging priorities. Great universities must constantly renew themselves and adapt quickly to strategic opportunities and challenges. Unrestricted endowments ensure that UChicago remains prepared to fully engage with important, timely issues today and for generations to come.