Establish a Named Scholarship

Establishing a Scholarship

Scholarships provide critical tuition support for CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) students. A scholarship fund helps to meet the needs of our students while reflecting the specific interests or desires of a donor. Establishing a scholarship fund can be a special way to honor or memorialize a loved one’s interests or accomplishments, honor a former student and/or faculty member, or encourage students in a particular academic area.

Create an Endowed Scholarship

Creating an endowed scholarship provides critical tuition support for CUNY SPS students in perpetuity.

An endowed scholarship is established with a gift of $100,000 or more. A donor can establish a named scholarship endowment with a pledge commitment and a minimum gift of $25,000 with a commitment to grow the scholarship fund to $100,000 over a three to five year period. Upon reaching the $100,000 level, the fund will be permanently invested in the CUNY Investment Pool. Scholarship awards are made from earnings in accordance with the CUNY Investment Pool spending guidelines.

The CUNY Investment Pool currently has a 4% annual spending policy. Scholarship awards will be made from the earnings of the fund, beginning one year after investment. The principal will remain intact and earnings above the 4% will be applied to the principal. Subsequent gifts to the scholarship are also applied to the principal. As the principal grows, so may the amount and/or number of awards.

Create an Annual Scholarship

Creating an annual scholarship provides critical and immediate tuition support for CUNY SPS students.

Annual scholarships are established with a gift of $1,500 or more. With an initial gift of $1,500 and a pledge commitment of $4,500 in total, a donor can establish named, annual scholarships. Annual scholarships may be awarded for as many years as the funds are donated. The name associated with the scholarship will remain with the fund until such time as the fund is depleted or discontinued.

For more information and to establish an endowed or annual named scholarship, please contact us at (646) 664‑8662 or development@sps.cuny.edu.

Giving Opportunities

CUNY SPS welcomes donations to establish and name new gift funds as well as donations of any size in support of already existing funds.

  • Gifts and pledges of any amount may be made in support of existing scholarship funds
  • Gifts and pledges of $4,500 or more may be used to establish new annual scholarships, awards, prizes, and many giving opportunities
  • Gifts and pledges of $100,000 or more may be used to support a wide range of giving and campus naming opportunities and endowed scholarships

To establish a gift fund or to support an existing fund at the CUNY SPS Foundation, please contact us at (646) 664‑8662 or development@sps.cuny.edu.