EWU Foundation

The Mission

The Eastern Washington University Foundation (Foundation), a non-profit corporation, was established in 1977, under Washington law, to identify, promote, receive, and manage all private gifts from individuals, corporations, foundations, and associations to Eastern Washington University (university).

The Foundation is the catalyst and conduit, through which gifts and endowment income flow, to provide immediate and long-term support for the university and its programs. Thus, the Foundation is not an object of philanthropy itself, but a mechanism through which private support is raised and managed for the sole benefit of EWU.

Overseen by a Board of Directors and staffed by a professional development team who are university employees, the Foundation administers all gifts in a business-like manner, in accordance with the donor's wishes. When gifts are received by EWU colleges or operating units, they are forwarded for the gift processing and official acceptance and acknowledgement by the Foundation.

The major goals of the EWU Foundation are to:

• Advance the teaching, research and public service endeavors of EWU, by generating private contributions to supplement the institution's state and federal revenues for capital, operation and student assistance needs.
• Function as the official university organization in planning, initiating, directing and coordinating all possible efforts in pursuit of gift support from private sources.
• Provide a tangible, cohesive organization as evidence of a comprehensive gift seeking effort and an assurance of ethical, legal and proper business proceedings in all gift transactions.
• Provide the specialized professional experience, knowledge and expertise to assist university schools and programs, donors and recipients, wherever needed, to finalize a gift plan or a solicitation plan.
• Encourage continuing and special contributions from alumni, friends, corporations, foundations and organizations through effective communications, solicitations, acknowledgements and recognition.
• Involve an optimum number of persons in the giving process, either as volunteer workers or as donors, and promote and maintain good relations and exemplary stewardship with those involved.