Ways to Give

An endowment is a lasting investment in the future of UNT Health. When you establish an endowment, your gift—alongside many others—is invested by the UNT Health Foundation in its investment pool. The principal gift (or corpus) remains intact and only earnings are used each year to support the purpose you designate. Endowments create impact in perpetuity.

The UNT Health Foundation is a private, 501(c)(3) charitable organization with its own Board of Directors. It is not a state agency and does not receive funding from the university or system. This independent structure, common among public universities, enhances effectiveness and benefits both the university and its donors.

UNT Health Foundation funds are managed by a team of professionals with expertise in investments and higher education finance. The Investment Committee and Board of Directors — comprising donors, alumni and investment professionals — provide governance and oversight.

UNT Health Foundation manages three types of endowments:

Permanent Endowments – Last in perpetuity; the original gift (principal) is invested and never spent. Distributions come from investment earnings. Sometimes referred to as a True Endowment.

Term Endowments – The original gift is invested to generate earning within a specified period of time or until a designated event. Afterwards, the remaining fund balance including the original gift is distributed.

Quasi-Endowments – Function like permanent endowments, but the principal can be accessed under certain conditions to fulfill the donor's intent. For example, to ensure a scholarship will be awarded at a minimum amount each year. Because principal may be spent, a quasi-endowment does not necessarily continue in perpetuity.

Endowments create predictable, long-term funding streams, reducing reliance on tuition and annual giving. At scale, they provide financial stability, protecting the institution from economic and political fluctuations. Endowments help secure UNT Health’s future and elevate its national standing.

Both endowments and current-use gifts play a crucial role in supporting UNT Health. The best option depends on your philanthropic goals:

Current-use gifts are spent immediately to address pressing needs.

Endowment gifts generate ongoing financial support, ensuring long-term impact while growing to preserve purchasing power over time.

Yes! Donors can direct gifts to a particular cause, such as an endowed scholarship for a specific major or program.

Absolutely! Donors can name their endowments in honor or memory of an individual, class or organization or to honor their own legacy. Selection criteria can also be established. Endowed gifts can support scholarships, faculty positions, research or programs. 

1. Gift Agreement – Work with a dedicated gift officer to create a formal endowment agreement defining the gift’s purpose, form and administration.
2. Make Your Gift – Non-cash gifts (e.g., securities, real estate) undergo special processing and the foundation converts these gifts to cash. Five-year pledges are available with an initial gift of $5,000.  
3. Gift Receipt – Donors receive a tax-deductible receipt.
4. Investment – Funds are invested with the principal (corpus) reaches $25,000.
5. Disbursement – Once an endowment reaches $25,000, it will begin distributing the following academic year. Distributions are calculated at a percentage of a 12-quarter rolling average, ensuring stable support.
6. Future Additions – Donors can make additional contributions at any time.

Yes, the following minimum amounts have been adopted for UNT Health.

Student Support

• General Scholarship | $25,000
• Dean’s Scholarship | $100,000
• Presidential Scholarship | $250,000
• Graduate Research Assistantship | $100,000
• Graduate Student Fellowship | $250,000

Faculty Academic Positions

• Professorship | $500,000
• Chair | $2,000,000
• Dean’s Chair | $5,000,000
• Faculty Fellowship | $250,000

Colleges & Programs

• General Support | $25,000
• Lectureship | $100,000
• Lecture Series | $250,000
• College Naming | $25,000,000
• Research Acceleration | $100,000

 

There are no administrative fees associated with making your gift. 

There is a small management fee assessed to endowments annually as approved by the UNT Health Foundation Board of Directors.

Endowments can be funded using:

• Cash
• Securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds)
• Real estate
• Other real property
• Estate or other planned gifts
• Endowed gifts can be paid over five years and are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

The market is volatile, and the UNT Health Foundation mitigates risk through a diversified investment portfolio. If an endowment’s principal falls below its original value (an "underwater endowment"), the Texas Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (TUPMIFA) allows a temporary reduction in distributions to help the corpus recover.

Each calendar year, donors receive an endowment report detailing investment performance and fund distributions.

Scholarship donors receive a report each year on the recipients who are benefiting from their generosity.

State budget constraints make private support essential to UNT HEALTH’s success. As state funding decreases, tuition costs may rise, increasing financial pressure on students and families. Private philanthropy helps UNT HEALTH remain affordable while also providing the resources needed to excel as a Tier 1 Research Institution.

• Endowed scholarships are invested in the UNT Health Foundation’s portfolio, providing annual funding for students in perpetuity. With a set payout rate and a diversified portfolio, endowed scholarships ensure stable support, regardless of market conditions.
• Current-use scholarships are one-time gifts that provide immediate financial aid.

Students can apply for scholarships through a designated online portal. Recipients are selected based on the criteria established in the donor’s gift agreement.