Create Your Own Fund
You may choose to create your own fund in support of students at Michigan State University. Our office will work with you to create a fund that best meets your goals for helping to support students. As the donor, you'll work with our staff to identify the award criteria that meet your intentions. For example, you might choose to provide funds for a need-based scholarship. You might choose to provide a scholarship to students from your state, or students interested in a particular college or program. Once the criteria are determined, we'll draft the legal agreement for the creation and stewardship of the award, and we'll help you complete the donation process.
Scholarships are financial awards that are distributed to undergraduate students. These awards fall in to two categories: endowed and expendable.
Endowed Awards
Endowed funds are invested, and awards are distributed using the investment income. This means that the award lives on in perpetuity and can grant scholarships or fellowships forever. A minimum of $50,000 is required to establish an MSU endowed scholarship. This can be made in one payment, or pledged over a period of time up to five years. Our office will work with you to draft a legal endowment agreement outlining the criteria and procedures for dispersing the awards.
Expendable Awards
Expendable awards are distributed directly to students through accounts at Michigan State University. Expendable scholarships and fellowships can only be granted when there is funding made available through donations. There is no minimum required amount to establish an MSU expendable scholarship. You may work with our office to establish the expendable scholarship agreement.
Honoring a Loved One
If you have a loved one that you would like to honor, you can do that! We can help provide information and donation forms for you and others to make gifts in honor or in memory of an individual. These gifts can be designated to the fund you select. Additionally, scholarships and fellowships can be named in honor or in memory of loved ones. Please see the Honor a Loved One page for more information on the process.
Supporting MSU Students through The Office of Philanthropy for Undergraduate Education
We have always believed education can change the course of an individual’s life. As a land-grant institution Michigan State University was founded on the idea that all academically qualified individuals should have access to an education and to the opportunity to create a better future for themselves and others.
