Endowed contributions, or legacy gifts, made to San Diego State University establish a permanent source of funding for the program or initiative specified by a donor. SDSU’s endowment provides an ongoing source of income for the university which offers financial security and benefits to the university in perpetuity. When an endowed contribution is invested, only a designated portion of the income is used annually to support the program or initiative identified by the donor. Each year, this percentage is set by The Campanile Foundation’s Board, and returns above the annual distribution are added to the original principal.

Endowed gifts are crucial to our university’s enduring prosperity. Because of the stability they offer, these contributions enable SDSU to make long-term commitments to a program or initiative. They protect us from the uncertainties of economic downturns and reduced government funding while providing an important source of current revenue to help us meet vital expenses not covered by student fees and state funding.



Due to the increased philanthropic support of SDSU’s alumni and friends over the last several years, as well as strong returns from our investment portfolio, our university’s endowment has continued to realize significant growth. The growth of our university’s endowment over the past five years is displayed in the following graph.