What is endowment?

Endowment is a compilation of multiple funds given by many donors over time to support specific purposes that cannot always be changed after the gift is made. The funds are invested together to support Notre Dame San Jose's mission in perpetuity. Endowed funds grow over time through a combination of donations and investment returns, and funds are spent to meet both current needs and the needs of future generations. Donor gifts to endowment remain intact forever while the interest income provides restricted annual income to support programs as defined by the donor.

Why is endowment needed?

Notre Dame San Jose is an independent, not-for-profit school. As such, the school is not funded by the government and must earn income to cover the cost of educating students and operating the school. The three main sources of income are tuition, fundraising and investments. Support for the endowment ensures a base of investments that remain intact while offering a long-term, stable and predictable source of revenue to support operations, tuition assistance, programs or other projects as defined by the donor.