Public Higher Education Endowment Incentive Program

Your gift to UMass Lowell can go farther, thanks to a state program designed to encourage private fundraising by public colleges and universities. The state’s Public Higher Education Endowment Incentive Program (PHEEIP) will match 50 percent of your gift to the UMass Lowell endowment, funds that can be designated for academic purposes, including scholarships, facility construction or named faculty chairs.

Under PHEEIP, for example, a gift of $100,000 to fund a scholarship endowment fund will be matched with a $50,000 contribution from the state, bringing the total contribution to $150,000. Some of the investment earnings would be spent each year on a designated scholarship and some would be returned to the fund.

If you are establishing a new endowment fund, you must pledge at least $25,000 to receive a match. The pledge can be paid over five years. You can also qualify for a match with a gift of at least $10,000 to an existing fund. At this time, the state has agreed to match future pledges for the program, as long as those pledges are paid within five years. The state has made $9 million available this year for the program across the UMass system. The Lowell portion is 15 percent of that total, or $1.35 million.

For more information, contact the Office of University Advancement at 978-934-2223.