What is an endowment?
An endowment is a permanent fund established by the DMNS Foundation to secure long-term financial stability. Donors make gifts to the endowment fund with the stipulation that the funds be invested and that the principal remain intact in perpetuity. This allows the gift to have a much greater impact over a longer period of time than if it were spent all at once. Endowed gifts also create a legacy for the future, enabling the Museum to establish a predictable, independent source of annual income to support the institution for years to come.
The DMNS Foundation was established for the purpose of investing, managing, and growing the endowed assets of the Museum. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and was formed in 1986 by the Board of Trustees of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.
What kinds of assets can be used for gifts to the endowment?
Many kinds of assets (appreciated securities, real estate, cash, and more) can be given to the Museum and then invested to generate income. An outright gift or a bequest from a will are two of the most common ways to make endowment gifts.
How can I establish a named fund?
Establishing a named fund requires a minimum gift of $100,000, either as an immediate gift or through a bequest from your will.
You may establish a fund either for a specific purpose or for unrestricted use. You may also create a named fund to honor an individual, family member, friend, or loved one as a tribute or memorial.
Can I contribute to an already existing fund?
Contributions can be added to an existing individual fund at anytime by anyone.
Existing Individual Funds
The following is a list of existing individual funds established by the DMNS Foundation, along with a description of donor restrictions:
- Bouslog Fund, for ornithology and zoology programs
- Collections Fund, for acquisitions for the Museum’s collections
- Coors Exhibit Fund, for changing exhibitions
- Vida F. Ellison Fund, for space science programs
- The Charles C. and June S. Gates Creativity Endowment, for innovative programs designed to spark interest in science and creativity in school age audiences
- Gates Family Foundation Capital Fund, for the capital needs of the Museum
- Gates Family Foundation Hall of Life Fund, for human wellness programs and exhibits
- Robert P. and Mary S. Hackstaff Fund, for free access to the Museum for low-income youth and adults
- William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education and Outreach Programs, for education and outreach programs
- C. Neil & Carolyn S. Norgren Endowment Fund, for paleontology programs
- O’Shaughnessy Family Endowment Fund, for capital and operating needs of the Department of Earth Sciences
- Phipps Family Fund, for the capital needs of the Museum
- Calvin A. and Virginia J. Powers Family Fund, for increasing public access to Native American Ethnographic and Archaeological Collections within the Department of Anthropology
- Prehistoric Journey Fund, for the exhibition or successor programs and exhibits related to the history of life on Earth
- A.E. Reynolds Endowment Fund, for the acquisition of geology specimens
- Frank H. Ricketson Jr. Capital Fund, for the capital needs of the Museum
- Irving and Carol Shwayder Endowment for Science and Technology, for science and technological exhibits or programs
- Melvin and Elaine Wolf Foundation Scholarship Fund, for scholarships for low-income children to participate in the Museum’s education programs
For more information about how you may establish a new fund or to contribute to an existing one, please call 303.370.8251.
The information on this site is not intended as legal, tax, or investment advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney, tax professional, or investment professional.
