We are all well versed in sustainable practices as it applies to gardening and the environment. We teach people how to make informed choices about their landscapes, and consider the long-term impact of their decisions on the environment.
What drives our commitment to these values? At the heart of things, we care about tomorrow and the future of our planet and communities. We have a sense of duty and responsibility, and strive to leave things in better shape for future generations. We may ask ourselves, if not us, who?
I believe we can apply a similar “sustainability mindset” to the UC Master Gardener Program's financial health and make choices now that will impact our program for generations to come. One way to do this is by establishing an endowment. Simply put, an endowment is a financial asset invested to generate permanent income for the benefit of our programs.
As a statewide program under UC, we have access to open a fund in the UC Endowment pool, a world-class investment fund that benefits programs at all nine UC campuses and affiliates, including UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. Historically, funds invested in the UC endowment pool earn an average of 7% per year. The UC Master Gardener Program currently has seven endowment accounts, a statewide “Perennial Endowment”, and six county-level endowments (Alameda, Marin, Napa, Sonoma, San Diego, & Ventura) cumulatively valued at over $500,000. To date, these funds have been primarily supported by donations from generous UC Master Gardener donors.
Supporting an endowment is appealing to donors who care about the program's future and want their gift to make an impact for many years to come. In addition to outright gifts, it may be possible to transfer funds from other sources (i.e., revenue from a plant sale) into an endowment fund.
If your program has been fortunate enough to meet your immediate needs via fundraising, and perhaps even established a program reserve for a rainy day, I urge you to continue your efforts and keep the momentum going. You've worked hard to lay the groundwork to secure your financial situation; now, start thinking about how you can develop a sustainable funding model for the future!
To explore your options and discuss any other questions you may have about endowments or fundraising in general, please do not hesitate to contact me at kdscott@ucanr.edu.
Kelly Scott
Donor Relations Officer, UC Master Gardener Program