“As our lives have been touched through 4-H experiences, we know our endowment gift to the Iowa 4-H Foundation will encourage and impact the lives of 4-H youth as they become tomorrow’s leaders.”
- Glen and Mary Jo Mente, Ames, Iowa
Mente State Project Awards Endowment
An endowment is a gift to the Iowa 4-H Foundation that is invested to provide current and future support for 4-H. The minimum investment is $10,000. Endowments may be made on behalf of an individual or family, a corporation or a group of committed 4-H friends. Your endowment can support a specific 4-H program, event or activity.
Establishing an endowment offers many benefits to Iowa 4-H:
- It builds a strong foundation for 4-H by providing continuous support for future programs.
- An endowment can grow to many times its original size
- With permanent endowments, The original gift is never spent; only earned interest is used for ongoing support 4-H programs.
- Endowment growth provides financial independence from state and federal funding sources.
Your endowment can support the Iowa 4-H in many ways. The 4-H Foundation will direct the income disbursements from your endowment only to the program(s) you designate, such as:
- 4-H Scholarships
- Project Areas (ex. Photography, science or engineering and technology)
- 4-H Volunteer Support
- State and National 4-H Awards and Trips
- Overall 4-H Operations (unrestricted endowments)
- 4-H Staff and Faculty positions
Donors have up to three years to establish the minimum $10,000 principal. The Iowa 4-H Foundation invests its
endowment funds with the State of Iowa’s regents’ institutions, which include Iowa State University, the University
of Iowa, the University of Northern Iowa and others.
County Endowments
Over 70 counties are building their future by creating County 4-H Endowment Funds. Established with an initial gift of $1,000 or more, and added to over time, these temporarily restricted funds are invested like other endowments to provide long-term support of local 4-H programs.
