Isidore Newman School | Capital & Endowment Gifts

Newman is in the early stages of an exciting initiative to secure a bright future for our students in the areas of science and technology, the arts, scholarships, and general endowment. In the near future you will hear how you can be a part of this transformational campaign. Please check back for updates.

Capital

In 1903, Isidore Newman made the first capital gift of $75,000 to purchase the land and build a school.

A capital gift is one that is earmarked for a specific project. These gifts are from donors who choose to direct their support toward a specific purpose that matches the needs and priorities of the School with their personal interests.

Each building and space on the Newman’s campus has been made available to our students as the result of a capital gift to the School by parents, alumni and friends. One only needs to read the names on the rooms and buildings and wonder about the stories that have made such gifts possible. It’s important that our current families continue this tradition of giving so we can maintain an up-to-date campus for today’s students.

Capital gifts can be made in honor or in memory of a family member or friend or to celebrate a special event. Capital gifts are typically given in addition to an individual’s annual contribution to the School and may be given for small or large projects. To inquire about making a capital gift to Newman, please contact Mary Hoffman, Associate Director of Advancement, at 504.896.6425 or MaryHoffman@newmanschool.org.

Bequests

Bequests are a simple and popular way for donors to make gifts to support educational endowments. Most of the major endowments in the United States, such as those at Stanford, Duke, Harvard, and Princeton were built through major bequests from founders and succeeding generations of donors. Investing in the Newman Endowment is a wonderful way to leave a legacy at Newman that will support students and faculty far into the future.

Endowment

The outstanding education that Newman offers is becoming more expensive. We are challenged to keep tuition at levels which are affordable, while at the same time expanding funds to attract the best and brightest students and teachers to the School. Our answer to these financial challenges is to focus on the long term. We must build a strong financial base to secure the future of Newman by substantially increasing the size of Newman’s endowment.

The term “endowment” is used to describe funds that are set aside for the long-term benefit of the School. For a family, it might be called a savings or investment account.

The School’s endowment has funds that are directed by their donors for three main purposes: for students (financial aid for tuition), for faculty (to enhance salaries or to offer professional development opportunities) and for programs (to contribute to the ongoing expenses of a particular program or department). About 30% of the endowment is unrestricted and is used for the general operation of the School. A percentage of the endowment is used each year to supplement the operating budget. Without a strong endowment, tuition would need to be much greater.

The endowment value is currently $35.7M. All of the School’s endowment funds are managed together by professional, outside advisors. An investment committee of volunteers oversees the professional advisors for the endowment, and the Board of Governors establishes the policies that relate to it. Newman is fortunate to have had excellent advice and in each of the last three years, the endowment has grown at a rate that exceeds most of the comparison funds. Currently, the Board policy says that 5% of the principal of the endowment fund can be taken each year for the purpose for which the fund was established.

The School’s endowment has grown by gifts from families and friends and strong investment growth. There are a number of funds that have been established to honor family and friends. Ongoing gifts to the endowment are essential to secure the School for the future.