governance

All subscribers of at least $100,000 will be asked to become trustees and will be
invited to one weekend event each year in April, near the time of Mr. Jefferson’s birthday,
to be briefed on progress and be given evidence of the impact of their philanthropy.
Their subscriptions will qualify them for the University’s Lawn Society. The number of
Trustees shall be limited to not more than 100 at any given time. An Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees has been formed to manage the Trust. A Grants Committee and Finance Committee provide additional guidance in these important areas.


The designation as an unrestricted endowment is the strength of this concept. An
initial goal of $10 million will generate $400,000 to $500,000 per year, to be allocated
to critical University-wide needs as the trustees, in their sole discretion, determine.
As a pan-University “Margin of Excellence Fund”, The Jefferson Trust will rely on
the judgment of its Trustees, individuals who have an ingrained sense of the founder’s
vision and a strong personal commitment to strengthening the value of the University of
Virginia degree. The Trustees will entertain requests for support from University schools,
departments, and programs. In addition, the Trustees will be empowered to identity
areas of need though their own resources, similar to the original U.Va. Fund and current
Parents Program model. The income, as it grows, will assure a current ongoing alumni
voice and presence at the University as nothing else can. We have learned from past experience with faculty salary assistance how relatively small amounts can make a meaningful difference, especially if strategically targeted and leveraged through challenge grants and multi-year commitments.