Gift Acceptance Policies

Carnegie Mellon University is grateful for the support of all donors and is committed to fulfilling the charitable purpose of gifts received.

Gifts made to university spendable funds may be invested by the university, pending their expenditure.

Gifts made to the university’s endowment are held in an endowed fund in perpetuity, and distributions from the fund support the university purpose for which the fund was established. The assets of an endowed fund may be merged or pooled with other funds of the university for investment and investment management purposes (provided that a separate accounting is maintained). The university manages, invests and makes distributions from the fund in accordance with its endowment practices and policies, as they are adopted and revised from time to time by the Board of Trustees of the university. 

The university assesses an administrative fee on certain spendable gifts and the distributions from certain endowed funds.  The administrative fee supports the university’s infrastructure that makes the fulfillment of these gifts possible.

If in the future the university’s president determines that it is impossible or impractical for a gift to serve the purpose for which it was originally made, the university’s president will direct that the gift be devoted to another university purpose that the university’s president deems to be most consistent with the donor’s original intent.

These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.