Thank you!
Every Ohio University degree conferred is the fulfillment of one dream and the fuel for dreams of the future.
Behind all of those dreams are individuals like you who provide students transformative financial assistance, who fund resources that allow for a robust educational experience, and whose generosity will serve as a source of encouragement and inspiration for years to come.
You play an important role in every student’s Ohio University experience. Your spirit of giving is rooted in the spirit of Ohio University. Your philanthropy in service to an OHIO education is philanthropy in service to the world.
Details on the endowment(s) you have established with The Ohio University Foundation—as well as overall endowment performance—are enclosed.
Thank you for your unwavering support, your partnership and your belief in Ohio University.
With gratitude,
Jacquelin R. Weber, BSS ’96
Senior Director, Donor Engagement
Philanthropy in Service to Education.
January 1, 2019– December 31, 2019
The endowments that support Ohio University have grown by almost $375 million in the past 20 years. These endowed funds provide essential support for the University’s academic mission through scholarships for students, support for faculty research and creative activity, and resources for programs, partnerships, technology, and facilities.
The endowment portfolio is professionally managed, with the long-term objective of producing real growth in excess of the spending policy and inflation. The endowment is broadly diversified into equities, fixed income and alternative investments, including commodities, private equity and hedge funds, with a 75% allocation to equity-oriented investments and 25% to fixed income-oriented investments. This allocation provides the opportunity for high risk-adjusted returns.
Endowment earnings are authorized for expenditure based on the endowment’s average market value for the trailing 36 months. For fiscal years 2018, 2019 and 2020, the spending rate was 4% for endowed accounts whose market value exceeded the historic gift value. Occasionally, due to a downturn in the investment market, an account’s market value may temporarily fall below its historic value. When this occurs, the endowed account is “underwater.” The spending rate for underwater endowments is 1%.
*Represents the average nominal rate of return, as reported in the 2019 National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) - TIAA Study of Endowments.