Seniors for The Stanford Fund

Philanthropy, or as you’ll often hear us say, giving, literally means goodwill to other humans. In practice, it refers to providing support for organizations, causes, or initiatives that are important to you. 

For example, a gift to Stanford allows you to give back to a community that has helped you become who you are today and ensures the same or better opportunities are accessible to other students. Your philanthropy also includes your support for organizations that align with your passions, such as an animal shelter or relief aid during an emergency like the California wildfires. 

All that to say, every one of us can be a philanthropist through our gifts of our time, talents, or financial resources.

Opportunities to support students can be driven by different things, whether it’s the priorities determined by university leaders (i.e. The Stanford Fund), your own passions (i.e. funds for specific programs or departments), or community mobilization (i.e. mutual aid and solidarity funds).

You can explore and choose the ways to give back that are meaningful to you. Whatever you choose, you will help ensure every undergraduate student has the best possible Stanford experience.

The endowment provides a steady stream of income, but only if spending is held to about 5.5 percent each year. So, the university must fund more than three-quarters of its operating expenses, including financial aid, student and academic organization support, and other areas integral to the undergraduate experience, every year from other sources, including through donor support. 

Additionally, nearly 80 percent of the Stanford endowment is restricted or designated for specific uses. The endowment is actually made up of more than 8,000 different funds. Of these, 7,300 were established by donors, and most of them are designated for specific purposes, such as supporting first-generation college students or advancing a particular field of study. Stanford has a legal and fiduciary obligation to use these funds as intended.

For more details about the purpose and limitations of the endowment, we recommend this article in Stanford Magazine.

The Stanford Fund, the annual fund for undergraduate education, provides vital flexibility for supporting students.

The majority of gifts to Stanford—and almost 80 percent of endowment funds—are restricted. Funds given for research, for example, cannot be used for financial aid. Gifts through The Stanford Fund can be used to address the areas of greatest need or to meet unexpected expenses.

When you give through The Stanford Fund, you are also able to designate the destination of your gift to either financial aid, mental health initiatives, academic innovation, student life, or the Opportunity Fund. Targeted gifts sustain these initiatives and allow you to advocate for positive change within the university.

Every cause is important and no gift is too small. When seniors give through The Stanford Fund, gifts are tripled by a generous donor, amplifying our impact on the causes that matter to us, helping to transform Stanford for future generations. 

As Stanford’s soon-to-be most recent alumni, you know best how programs and initiatives impact the undergraduate experience. Giving to Stanford, no matter the size of your gift, is a way for seniors to have our voices heard amongst larger, institutional donors in support of the future of undergraduate programs at Stanford that matter most to us. 

Many philanthropists also give simply because they like knowing they are helping someone, regardless of the size of their gift. Gifts can be personally impactful, as well.