University Endowment Reaches Record High

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas endowment holdings rose to $920.6 million at the close of the 2013-14 fiscal year on June 30. A year earlier at the end of the 2013 fiscal year, the endowment stood at $818 million.

“Our endowment growth can be attributed to our generous benefactors, excellent management by the University of Arkansas Foundation and the outstanding leadership of our chancellor,” said Chris Wyrick, vice chancellor for university advancement. “His vision for the university has been our overarching guide for fundraising efforts and resonates with our campus community and our donors.

“It’s especially encouraging to see us nearing the $1 billion mark and making a nice recovery from the market declines everyone experienced in the late 2000s. More and more donors are choosing to allocate their contributions to endowed funds, because they understand the impact it will have over time. As our endowment grows, so do the number of opportunities we can offer our students and faculty. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”

The $920.6 million balance at the end of the 2014 fiscal year, which is managed by the University of Arkansas Foundation for the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville campus, includes the Fayetteville Foundation, the AGRI Foundation (Agriculture Development Council), the University of Arkansas Fayetteville Campus Foundation (Walton Family Foundation gift), Campus Endowments, the Razorback Foundation and the Alumni Foundation. In addition to managing the Fayetteville campus’s endowment, the University of Arkansas Foundation also manages the investment portfolios for the other University of Arkansas System universities.

The endowment serves the university as a permanent savings fund, and only the earnings are used for academic programs and endowed chairs, professorships, fellowships and scholarships, which make up the bulk of the endowment. These are permanent funds that will spin off income in perpetuity.