Creating a Named Endowment

At Marist, we invite donors to establish named endowments with a minimum contribution of $50,000, as set by our Board of Directors’ Finance Committee.

Donation Options

  • One-Time Donation: Donors may contribute the full amount upfront.
  • Pledge Option: Alternatively, donors may pledge $10,000 per year over five years. Under this arrangement, financial aid distributions can begin once the second $10,000 payment has been made.

Scholarship Distribution

Each year, 4% of the endowment principal is allocated to fund financial aid scholarships for students in need. Donors have flexibility in how their scholarships are distributed:

  • We recommend awarding scholarships to a freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior each year. As the senior graduates, the next incoming freshman would be awarded the scholarship.
  • Some donors prefer to support one student throughout their Marist journey, starting with a freshman and continuing until graduation.
  • Others choose to begin awarding scholarships to sophomores, allowing for more time to assess potential recipients.

Custom Criteria

While all named endowments must be financial aid-based, donors can establish specific criteria aligned with their personal interests or values. Examples of criteria include:

  • Occupation: Policemen, teachers, etc.
  • Family Background: Single parents, most financial need, etc.
  • Geography or Activity: Students from particular schools, cities, athletics, clubs, etc.

At the start of each year, we match the donor’s criteria with the student(s). Donors can either trust us to select recipients or review anonymous student summaries to make their own choice. Recipients are required to maintain academic and behavioral standards and complete the necessary financial aid forms annually.