Every organization hopes for a donor who never stops giving. An endowment is how you get one.
By Emmanuel Iroko · Oct 31, 2026Every organization hopes for a donor who never stops giving. A donor who gives this year, gives again next year, and is still giving 20 years from now. Even 100 years from now.
That donor already exists. It’s called an endowment.
Most gifts are spent once. An endowment invests them instead. The original amount stays invested and grows, and each year a set share of it goes back to the mission. The gift keeps working long after the day it was given.
An endowment turns today’s donors into permanent donors. The people who give this year won’t always be here. Their generosity can be.
Fundraising asks donors to give again. An endowment lets past gifts keep giving.
With Plero, your board sets a share of everyday giving to build the fund, donors can add to it when they give, and the money is held at Schwab in your organization’s name. You don’t need a large first gift. The fund grows from the giving you already receive.
Prepare wisely. Think permanence.
Model your own giving, then book a 30-minute session to set up a policy.