Amplify the power of your generosity
The Scholarship Impact Accelerator program is designed to:
- Amplify the power of scholarship giving at Indiana University
- Get vital funding to students more rapidly
- Help donors quickly see their life-changing impact on IU students
The program applies to undergraduate, graduate, and professional school scholarships. When you give to a qualifying endowed fund—either an existing endowment or a new one you create—you will quickly enjoy the fulfillment of the incredible difference you’re making in students’ lives.
How it works
Endowed scholarships are created when donors contribute gifts that are invested to generate spendable earnings in perpetuity. Many donors choose to fulfill these gift commitments over several years, resulting in a delay in the entire gift being invested and generating sufficient income to be awarded. Therefore, scholarships often aren’t awarded until the endowment is fully funded. This timing can postpone both student support and the donor’s opportunity to see their impact.
The accelerator program changes that, allowing your generosity to start making an impact much sooner. Donors who make an outright gift or commit to a multi-year pledge toward a qualifying endowed scholarship will unlock awardable funds from the IU Foundation. These funds will be awarded as your scholarships annually for the next four years, as illustrated in the examples below.
The Carol Cream and Chris Crimson Scholarship
Carol and Chris commit $50,000 over five years. While they make their annual $10,000 payments, the IU Foundation provides $2,250 of Accelerator funds each year for four years to award Cream and Crimson Scholarships. During this time, the earnings from Chris and Carol’s annual payments are reinvested to grow the fund, amplifying its long-term impact. Once the scholarship endowment is fully funded, it begins generating its own scholarship awards and the Accelerator funds end.
The Bison Family Scholarship
Jane and David Bison make a $5,000,000 outright gift. The IU Foundation provides $225,000 of Accelerator funds annually for four years to award scholarships immediately. During this time, the earnings from the initial gift are reinvested to grow the fund, amplifying its long-term impact. From year five onward, the Bison Family Scholarship endowment provides the annual scholarship awards and the Accelerator funds end.
Next steps
If you would like to learn more about the Scholarship Impact Accelerator, simply reach out to your development officer. They can meet with you to learn more about your philanthropic interests and goals.
These questions can help guide your thinking ahead of time, as you consider the impact you’d like to make:
- Is there a specific IU campus you want to support?
- Do you have a preferred school or unit?
- Would you like to learn more about priorities or needs?
- Do you prefer to assist students with financial need, reward academic excellence, or both?
- Would you be interested in fully funding one or more students’ tuition and fees for their entire IU experience?
Thank you for being a champion for IU students
Your generosity will shape the next generation of leaders and difference makers.