Endowment at Webster University

Endowment gifts support the financial foundation for scholarships and academic programs at Webster University. Endowed funds can be established to honor a loved one or to create a legacy in your own name—while providing perpetual support to a program of your choosing or, if unrestricted, to the university as a whole.

How Endowments Work
Benefactors establish endowments or add to existing endowments to be permanently retained and invested by the University. Earnings are distributed annually for general benefit or for a purpose specified by the benefactor. It is recommended that benefactors wishing to direct an endowment gift toward a specific use discuss these details with the Development & Alumni Programs Office to ensure that the gift can be utilized as intended.

Currently, Webster annually disburses 4.5% of an endowment’s corpus. Earnings above 4.5% are reinvested so that future disbursements are not diminished through inflation.

You Will Be Missed!
Webster depends on generous annual gifts from alumni and friends—gifts that someday will be missed. Consider Mr. Ben E. Factor who provides $1,000 to Webster each year. Through his will, he arranges a future endowed gift of approximately $20,000. As part of Webster’s endowment, that gift provides $1,000 the following year. Earnings above the $1,000 are reinvested so that his gift continues to grow—in perpetuity.

Anyone Can Provide for Endowment
Gifts of any size are welcome into existing university endowments. To find an endowment option that best fits your philanthropic goals, please contact Ken Nickless - Gift Planning Officer at 314.968.7146.