A sustaining gift is an unrestricted contribution to Creighton University. Unrestricted gifts sustain the University by providing flexible funds that allow Creighton University to excel and constantly improve for our students, furthering our Catholic, Jesuit mission. Sustaining gifts support the General Fund at Creighton along with other revenue sources like tuition and fees, investment earnings, grants and contracts, and charges for health care.

For more information about sustaining gifts, please contact the Office of Development at 402.280.2740 or bluewhiteyou@creighton.edu.

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Sustaining gifts afford the University the ability to respond to exceptional opportunities as they arise, including: providing scholarships for students who otherwise could not attend Creighton; funding innovative academic initiatives; updating research laboratories; attracting and retaining respected faculty; and helping Creighton University create an environment for faith in action. 

Sustaining gifts can be designated for general University use, or for a specific school or college. Sustaining gifts are especially valuable to meet the ever-changing, and often unexpected, challenges of the future. Sustaining gifts are put to immediate use, and help hold the line on tuition.

Creighton University is implementing a strategic commitment to scholarships and plans to infuse more than $2.4 million into scholarships and financial aid. There are various paths to achieving that goal.

Flexibility is key in a changing national environment. The University anticipates an increase in the necessity for unrestricted contributions to address the areas of greatest need, particularly scholarship support for deserving students, in an uncertain economy. Now more than ever we need you!

When a donor designates a contribution to a school or college, that contribution joins the pool of other unrestricted donations allocated to that school or college in the General Fund. The General Fund serves as the holding tank for these unrestricted funds which supplies operating dollars to schools and colleges and administrative departments across the campus. Contributions through the general fund are one of several streams of income to the schools and colleges. Each Dean and Vice President has the flexibility to direct these resources to his or her area of greatest need.

Creighton is committed to ensuring access and affordability for all students - regardless of financial circumstances. Given the current national economic environment, and concern about students’ access to and the affordability of a Creighton education, now more than ever we are challenged to support student scholarships and financial aid. 

Of all the funding Creighton awards to undergraduate students for scholarships and financial aid, 7.8 percent comes from endowments and restricted gifts, while 92.2 percent comes from unrestricted general funds.

Creighton University is implementing a strategic commitment to scholarships and plans to infuse more than $2.4 million into scholarships and financial aid. There are various paths to achieving that goal.

Flexibility is key in a changing national environment. The University anticipates an increase in the necessity for unrestricted sustaining contributions to address the areas of greatest need, particularly increased scholarship support for deserving students, in an uncertain economy. With a mandate from University leadership for an increase in the amount of resources allocated to scholarships and financial aid, the demands on the General Fund also will increase. An unrestricted sustaining gift to the University will help support the General Fund and provide the flexibility Creighton University needs to allocate resources to scholarships and financial aid.

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• Named scholarships

A gift designated for an annual award scholarship makes an immediate impact on the lives of individual Creighton students. These scholarships are awarded for a specific period of time and purpose as designated by the donor. A gift of $1,000 or more is required to initiate an annual scholarship. 

For more information about a named scholarship opportunity, please contact the Office of Development at 402.280.2740 or bluewhiteyou@creighton.edu.

• Endowed scholarships

An endowment gift will “live on” forever at Creighton University. Your gift can establish a new endowment fund, or add to an existing endowment fund. Minimum support levels for endowments have been established to guarantee that income from the funds will be adequate to achieve the benefactor’s intent both today and in the future. A gift of $25,000 or more is required to initiate an endowed scholarship. Additional gifts to endowed funds may be made at any time and in any amount. 

If you are interested in learning more about how to make a thoughtful investment to support endowed scholarships, please contact Rich McCormick, senior director of major gifts at 402.280.3483 or RichardMcCormick@creighton.edu.

A restricted gift is a contribution that is subject to restrictions imposed by the donor or the institution on its use for a specific purpose. Types of restricted giving at Creighton University include named scholarships, specific program support, capital construction, and endowments. 

If you are interested in learning more about how to make a thoughtful investment to support restricting giving projects, please contact Rich McCormick, senior director of major gifts at 402.280.3483 or RichardMcCormick@creighton.edu.

Creighton donors who contribute to capital construction and renovation breathe life into Creighton’s acclaimed master plan and move the University forward to the benefit of our students. Expansion and improvements to the physical plant of the campus provide high level academic and life-changing experiences for undergraduates and professional students and the appropriate research settings for faculty.

If you are interested in learning more about how to make a thoughtful investment to support capital projects, please contact Rich McCormick, senior director of major gifts at 402.280.3483 or RichardMcCormick@creighton.edu.

Creighton University athletics is partially supported through the Jaybacker organization. Many members of Creighton’s faculty and staff have chosen to become Jaybackers. Creighton has a strong commitment to our athletic teams and understands that a well-balanced university involves excellence in both academic and athletic arenas. Creighton athletics has received a great deal of national visibility and experienced much success, including one of the highest graduation rates in NCAA I with a 95% degree completion rate.

The Jaybacker organization helps to strengthen and promote broad-based support for the 14 intercollegiate athletic teams sponsored by Creighton University. When you become a Jaybacker, a portion of your contribution allows you preferential seating when purchasing season tickets for various Creighton sports. In addition, a portion of your contribution is a tax-deductible gift that also makes funding available to offset the increasing costs of competing at the Division I level and provides support for athletic scholarships for deserving student-athletes.

For more information about joining Jaybackers, please contact Kevin Sarver, assistant director of athletics for external operations at 402.280.5810 or ksarver@creighton.edu.

Planned and estate gifts such as charitable bequests, gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts build upon the foundation laid by the original gifts from the estate plans of Edward and Mary Lucretia and John and Sarah Creighton. As a member of the “Creighton family,” your planned gift is a thoughtful and tax-wise way to perpetuate your own legacy of service to Creighton students, your colleagues and the University. Your planned gift can be directed to anything from a perpetually endowed scholarship in a specific school or, college to University’s area of greatest need.  Planned gifts also include gifts of real estate and personal property that can also can provide income and tax benefits while supporting Creighton’s mission.

For further information about how you can participate in Blue, White and You through a planned gift, please visit the Office of Estate and Trust Services website at http://giftplanning.creighton.edu.