Endowments
We are grateful for your generous support, and we take seriously our responsibilities to you. LSU Foundation assets are private funds that can be used only for the benefit of LSU and in accordance with donor intent. The tenets of the Donor Bill of Rights guide our relationships with donors.
What is an Endowed Gift?
The purpose of an endowment is to provide a source of perpetual funding. Endowed gifts to the LSU Foundation fund scholarships, professorships, chairs and other programs and initiatives that are meaningful to our donors and LSU. When a donor establishes an endowment fund, that gift is invested in an LSU Foundation endowed pool to provide perpetual funding for the purpose chosen by the donor. Each year, a portion of the total return from the endowed gift can be expended as per the purpose(s) established by the donor. Currently, this portion is 4 percent of the 5-year rolling average of the market value, a spending rate that is comparable to those of our peer institutions.
Endowment Investing
CA Capital Management, Cambridge Associates’ dedicated outsourced chief investment
officer business, is the LSU Foundation’s OCIO for endowment funds. Cambridge Associates
is one of the largest and most well-respected endowment management firms. This OCIO
model is a growing trend among university foundations; Cambridge Associates has a
network of 200+ college and university clients. Cambridge Associates works with the
LSU Foundation on asset allocation and risk management and provides focused advice
on specific asset classes. Our chief financial officer and Board of Directors’ Investment
Committee work closely with CA Capital and maintain high-level oversight of the endowment.
For information on endowments and other giving opportunities, contact:
Krista Raney, Senior Vice President of Development
LSU Foundation
3796 Nicholson Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70802
225-578-4518 and kallen@lsufoundation.org
Endowment Fund Minimums
Our minimum levels for endowment funds listed below help to ensure that each gift
can, in perpetuity, meet the needs of the program the donor chooses to support. Some
programs may require a higher level of support.
Restricted Fund: $100,000
Consultation is required.
Department Or Program Excellence Fund: $50,000
Fund use is unrestricted.
College Excellence Fund: $25,000
Fund use is unrestricted.
Library Fund: $25,000
Fund use is unrestricted.
Deanship: $3 Million
Chair: $2 Million
Through the highly competitive Endowed Chairs for Eminent Scholars Program, the Louisiana
Board of Regents Support Fund provides a 60/40 match of private funds contributed
to establish an endowed chair. These matching funds are in addition to a $2 million
donor gift and are not guaranteed.
Professorship: $500,000
Through the noncompetitive Endowed Professorships Subprogram, the Louisiana Board
of Regents Support Fund provides an 80/20 match of private funds contributed to establish
an endowed professorship. These matching funds are in addition to a $500,000 donor
gift and are not guaranteed.
Faculty Enhancement Fund: $100,000
Fund use may be restricted or unrestricted.
Visiting Professorship Or Lectureship: $300,000
Lecture Series: $200,000
Named Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship: $100,000
Fund use may be restricted or unrestricted.
Graduate Support Fund: $100,000
Graduate support funds are used at the discretion of the dean.
Named Endowed Graduate Scholarship: $100,000
Fund use may be restricted or unrestricted.
Graduate Scholarship: $50,000