Gifts and Endowments

Gifts and endowments provide financial support for various university-related programs, including faculty research and teaching activities, student scholarships and capital improvements. Accounting Services is responsible for accounting services and financial reporting related to UC Merced Regents and Foundation gifts, endowments and endowment income. Services include:

• Managing accounting and reporting for all gifts to the university and foundation. 
• Working with Development and Alumni Relations and campus departments to ensure proper allocation of gifts 
• Distributing endowment payouts to campus units. 
• Requesting fund numbers for new gifts and links to department accounts. 
• Maintaining UC Merced Foundation books and assisting with foundation audit

Gifts and endowments provide financial support for various university-related programs, including faculty research and teaching activities, student scholarships, equipment purchases and capital improvements. Gifts can be made directly to the university via the Regents of the University of California, Merced Foundation, a not-for-profit organization formed Aug. 30, 1996, for the purpose of encouraging voluntary private gifts, trusts and bequests for the benefit of UC Merced. 

Endowments contain a stipulation that the original gift may never be expended. These gifts are held and invested in perpetuity by the Regents of the University of California and the foundation. Endowments generate a permanent expendable income stream from the return on the gift. The income is periodically transferred to campus to be used for the purpose specified by the donor. 

Accounting Services is responsible for accounting services and financial reporting relating to UC Merced and UC Merced Foundation gifts, endowments, and endowment income funds.

• Accounting Services works with campus departments to ensure proper allocation of funds and compliance with institutional policies to avoid commingling of gifts and to ensure donor-imposed restrictions are honored, a separate gift fund is created in the ledger based on the purpose of the gift(s).
• In the ledger, gift funds are distinguished from other funds by their "fund series". The fund series for gifts are 4xxxx (Foundation gifts) or 5xxxx (Regents gifts).