University endowments have a long history.
For the philanthropically minded individual or business possessing the keen foresight and institutional commitment to make these generous gifts, they are an attractive way to make a permanent contribution to higher education. Once established, endowment funds provide income for crucial university programs and projects without encroaching on gift capital. Endowment income provides a research university, in particular, assurance about its financial future which allows it to take the intellectual risks that can pay off in monumental leaps forward in knowledge. As such, endowments offer to the University of Utah steady, reliable income while ensuring that both the donors' wishes and the goals of the university are achieved. A university's overall endowment is the financial bedrock that allows it to be less dependent than it might otherwise be on unpredictable sources of revenue such as research sponsorship or government aid.