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UCalgary Endowment Funds
Impact in Perpetuity
The University of Calgary’s endowment fund is central to how we improve the world around us through research and student supports—each year and for every year to come. Thanks to thousands of generous donors and prudent investments, we manage more than $1,554,707,000 in endowed funds, which last year generated $65 million for research, learning, scholarships and bursaries.
Every single year, your endowed gifts make UCalgary more accessible to more students and help our scholars identify more solutions through research.
President Ed McCauley, PhD, FRSC
How it Works
The endowment fund exists to generate enough income to fund initiatives across the university, like scholarships and dedicated research, for generations to come. We do this through actively investing funds with a goal of both generating revenue that is spent annually, and protecting the value of the fund against inflation. Our long-range investment return target for the endowment is 7%. One-year growth from April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025 was 12.9%. In 2024-25, our spending allocation was 3.5%. For the 2025-26 fiscal year it is 4% thanks to strong investment performance.
The Elizabeth Cannon Graduate Scholarship in Entrepreneurial Thinking award has empowered students like me to pursue entrepreneurial research at UCalgary and make meaningful strides in innovation. This endowed scholarship truly changed the trajectory of my degree and my life. To be acknowledged as a future innovator addressing the pressing challenges of tomorrow is an honour that I will always carry with pride.
Tanille Butler, PhD, Chemistry
Elizabeth Cannon Graduate Scholarship in Entrepreneurial Thinking
2,000 Students Supported
Thanks to our donors, UCalgary awards more than 2,000 endowed student awards such as scholarships and bursaries each year. Many are targeted to specific disciplines. Others are donated in memory of a loved one. Each is supported by a donor, or group of donors, who established one of our 1,667 endowments (some fund more than one award) to ensure awards are available every year and continue to benefit students forever.
Supporting Research and Learning
Endowed funds also support 63 research chairs and institutes, such as the Hotchkiss Brain Institute or the Anderson-Chisholm Chair in Animal Care and Welfare; and experiential learning initiatives like the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking and the Elsie Mary Bell Endowment for the Arts. They also help the university sponsor lectures, including annual ones such the James Palmer Lecture Series.
Receiving this endowed award, Seymour Schulich Community Service/Entrepreneurial Entrance Award, has made an incredible difference in my first year of Engineering, fueling my vision for the future and inspiring me to integrate meaningful community contributions with my academic pursuits. With this financial support, I can continue serving my community while focusing on my studies to make a meaningful impact in the world around me.
Nayha Rehman
Seymour Schulich Community Service/Entrepreneurial Entrance Award
Fund Management
The vast majority of funds are invested through external investment managers. We do this to benefit from investment expertise that generates higher returns; and to allow for broader diversification, in both asset allocation and geography, to reduce risk.
Endowed funds, no matter their purpose, are managed as pooled investments. Pooling funds allows for broader diversification of investments and economy of scale to keep investment fees as low as possible.
Endowed investments are governed by the University of Calgary Investment Policy and subject to the oversight of the Board of Governors’ Investment Committee.
The endowed award for the N. Murray Edwards Chair in Business Law allows me to play a role in not only shaping, but disrupting Canada and America’s corporate law landscape. It lets me participate in finding solutions to important, but often neglected, public policy issues in this country. In addition, the support helps to build a strong foundation for excellence in business law education and research at UCalgary, shaping the next generation of legal professionals who will go on to make meaningful contributions to the world of business law.
Bryce Tingle, KC, LL.B, LL.M
N. Murray Edwards Chair in Business Law
Want to Endow Funds?
New endowments are created every year by generous supporters of the University of Calgary and our students. They are held and invested in perpetuity, with an annual allocation of funds to support the endowment’s intended purpose. If you’re interested or want to learn more, please contact our Development office at give@ucalgary.ca. For questions about your existing endowment, please contact donorrelations@ucalgary.ca.
Environmental, Social, and Governance Considerations
The Board of Governors Investment Committee believes appropriate consideration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors contributes to the long-term performance of the university’s investment portfolios and ultimately benefits its stakeholders. ESG considerations reflect the diversity of societal values which vary and evolve over time and as such, the committee appreciates there needs to be multiple perspectives considered in determining appropriate ESG requirements for the university’s investments. ESG is one of several considerations in evaluating appropriate investment opportunities. The committee commits to continuously evaluating the university’s ESG framework and processes across its investment portfolios.
I’ve had the honour of holding the Brenda Strafford Chair in the Prevention of Domestic Violence since 2010—an opportunity that led to the creation of Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence, a research hub with one goal: stopping violence before it starts. This endowment continues to have a profound and lasting impact on the University’s capacity to lead violence prevention research locally and globally, empowering meaningful steps toward a safer, more compassionate future.
Lana Wells, MSW, RSW, BSW, BA (Hons)
Brenda Strafford Chair in the Prevention of Domestic Violence