Sport-specific Permanent Operating Endowments

Building successful athletic programs requires more than talented student-athletes and dedicated coaches. It requires a lasting commitment to providing programs with the resources and opportunities necessary for sustained success.”

— Tim Pavlechko ’91, Vice President for Athletics & Recreation

Building Stability. Creating Opportunity. Securing the Future

Today, approximately 53% of Bison Athletics’ 27-sport operating budget depends upon funding raised and renewed each year. The extraordinary generosity of alumni, parents and friends has sustained our programs and helped generations of student-athletes succeed.

‘Now and Forever’ Funds: Make an Impact Today. Create a Legacy for Tomorrow.

Through sport-specific ‘Now and Forever’ Funds, donors can support today’s teams while building permanent endowments that provide lasting financial resources. These investments strengthen long-term planning, reduce reliance on annual contributions, and give coaches greater flexibility to meet evolving competitive needs.

Alongside Bison Club annual gifts and endowed athletic scholarships, ‘Now and Forever’ Funds help create a more sustainable financial model for Bucknell Athletics.

Each gift supports a designated Bison varsity program through immediate operating support and a permanent endowment generating annual distributions for future needs. Unlike scholarship endowments, these funds offer flexible support for virtually any permissible program expense, allowing coaches and athletic leadership to direct resources toward evolving priorities.

Every gift fuels today’s success and secures tomorrow’s opportunities.

One Gift. Two Powerful Outcomes.

Establishing a ‘Now and Forever’ Fund: $125,000 Minimum Commitment

A commitment of $125,000 establishes a sport-specific fund through two complementary investments:

• $100,000 — Forever: Establishes a permanent operating endowment for the designated varsity sport, generating annual distributions for future program support.
• $25,000 — Now: Provides immediate resources through the sport’s annual operating fund.

Expanding Your Impact: Commitments of $250,000 or More

For commitments of $250,000 or more, gifts follow a 90/10 structural allocation:

• 90% — Forever: Permanently invested in the designated sport’s operating endowment.
• 10% — Now: Directed to the sport’s annual operating fund for immediate priorities.

At every level, donors make a meaningful difference today while building a lasting legacy for future generations.

Permanent Support. Flexible Impact.

Annual distributions from ‘Now and Forever’ Funds can support a wide range of permissible program priorities, including:

• Essential Team Operations: Travel, equipment, training, competition and recurring expenses
• Student-Athlete Retention Benefits: Permissible financial awards and retention benefits, including Alston-related academic achievement awards where authorized by applicable policies
• Coaching Excellence: Assistant coach salaries, benefits, professional development and other permissible personnel expenses
• Technology and Innovation: Performance analytics, training technology, recovery systems and emerging capabilities.
• Scholarship Assistance: Athletic merit scholarship support without permanently restricting the endowment to scholarship expenditures.
• Competitive Enhancements: Specialized training, expanded competition and team development.
• Emerging Opportunities: Flexibility to address changing needs and pursue new competitive priorities.

This breadth of permissible uses allows coaches and athletic leadership to direct resources where they can have the greatest impact, today and across generations.

A Lasting Investment in Bison Athletics

‘Now and Forever’ Funds are a vital component of Bucknell Athletics’ integrated investment strategy. While Bison Club gifts power immediate opportunities and endowed scholarships invest in exceptional student-athletes, ‘Now and Forever’ Funds provide the enduring financial strength necessary to sustain successful programs.

Together, these investments help Bucknell move beyond sustaining excellence toward expanding what is possible.