{"id":313,"date":"2025-03-24T17:36:08","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T17:36:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogschapman.wpenginepowered.com\/town-and-gown\/2025\/03\/24\/town-gown-legacy-circle-2\/"},"modified":"2026-07-23T17:41:03","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T17:41:03","slug":"town-gown-legacy-circle-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/town-and-gown\/2025\/03\/24\/town-gown-legacy-circle-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Town & Gown Legacy Circle – Endowment? What’s That?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve been plugged into Chapman for any amount of time, you\u2019ve probably heard about endowments. But what is an endowment and how does it work? And what do endowments have to do with T&G?<\/p>\n

How It Works<\/strong><\/p>\n

An endowment at Chapman is a permanent fund, established with a minimum of $50,000. Rather than awarding the principal gift amount, the funds are invested, and a portion of the earnings is awarded annually. Any amount earned beyond the annual percentage payout is reinvested to increase the award for the future.<\/p>\n

Investment Strategy <\/strong><\/p>\n

Each individual endowment at Chapman has its own separate account which is tracked and reconciled on a regular basis. For investment purposes, all endowment accounts are pooled together, and funds are distributed to individual accounts annually to be used for their specific designated purpose. This \u201ctotal return\u201d management process is Board-approved and overseen by the Investments and Administration team in the Office of the Vice President, with oversight from the Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees.<\/p>\n

The Impact<\/strong><\/p>\n

Endowments provide a solid financial foundation for Chapman. Thanks to the generosity of our Chapman Family and the diligent oversight provided by the university, our overall endowment has increased 194% over the last 10 years. As of May 31, 2024 (the end of our last fiscal year) the endowment was $804.6 million. During the State of the University address in February, President-Elect Matt Parlow shared that our endowment is currently valued at an estimated $860 million, which is a $55 million increase since last May!<\/p>\n

Town & Gown Endowments<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of T&G\u2019s top priorities is providing scholarship support to Chapman students. Established in 1988, the\u00a0Town & Gown Endowed Scholarship\u00a0helps talented and hardworking students fund their Chapman education. In 2010, T&G created an\u00a0additional endowment for Arts, Humanities and Sciences at the Leatherby Libraries, which provides books to support the liberal arts core that is the heart of the university.<\/p>\n

As you may know, T&G\u2019s endowed scholarship has grown so much that scholarship students received an additional $2,000 this year, bringing the award up to $7,000 for each of our five recipients. While there are many reasons for this exciting growth, it is important to note that the endowed scholarship was bolstered by more than half a million dollars received from fulfilled legacy gifts in the last five years.<\/p>\n

I hope you will consider creating a legacy gift to support T&G. There is no required amount; every gift has an impact. By adding to an existing endowment, you help it grow, which will allow more funds to be distributed in the future. Another way to create your T&G legacy is to establish a named endowment of your own to support the mission of this wonderful group. At Chapman, the minimum to establish your own endowment is $50,000.<\/p>\n

Should you be inspired to include T&G in your future plans, it would be an honor to recognize you as a member of the Town & Gown Legacy Circle<\/a>. Your Legacy Circle gift also qualifies you for membership in the\u00a0Charles C. Chapman Legacy Society<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What Will Your Legacy Be?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s a gift through a will, living trust, beneficiary designation, charitable trust, gift annuity or life insurance policy, legacy gifts provide a solid foundation for Chapman and future generations of Panthers. To discuss your T&G legacy, contact us:<\/p>\n