The VES Endowment & Trust
The VES Endowment & Trust is a permanent, self-sustaining funding source that pays out a conservative spending distribution of 4.5% of its underlying market value every academic year. This calculation uses a trailing three-year moving average of annual market values. VES uses this trailing method to smooth large year-over-year changes, allowing the school to reasonably predict future spending distributions from the endowment.
The VES Endowment & Trust consists of four trusts and 100 individual funds with a market value of $42.7 million as of June 30, 2021. These funds, which have essentially doubled in market value since our last report, will generate $1,023,626 in spending distribution for the 2021-22 academic session, 8% of VES’ operating budget.
Supporting the Endowment
Nearly every area of the VES experience can be endowed. VES seeks to engage with donors who wish to fully fund an endowment through their annual giving and estate plans.
While many of the school’s funds are grandfathered in at lower levels, donors may establish new named funds by demonstrating a $500,000 lifetime commitment to a fund, inclusive of annual giving, multi-year pledges and documented planned gifts.
Donors also may choose to give at any level to existing endowment funds that match their interests.