Vision
The Foundation’s vision is to make the University of Louisville a preeminent metropolitan research university, an institution recognized for its success in advancing the intellectual, social and economic development of our community and its citizens while placing the University among the top tier of similar universities in the nation.

The Purpose of the Foundation
The University of Louisville Foundation Inc. is an independent charitable organization founded in 1970 to oversee funds donated to the University of Louisville. It is directed and supervised by a self-appointed Board of Directors who serve three-year terms. The President of the University also serves as President of the Foundation and a member of the Board.

The schools, colleges and libraries of the university rely heavily on the funds generated by the endowments to maintain and build excellence in their programs.

Background
The Foundation is a 501 (C) (3) non-profit organization that acts for the benefit of the University. The Foundation is responsible for encouraging philanthropy for the University by securing and administering contributions in support of the University’s education, research and service goals. In short, the Foundation’s role is to support the mission and vision of the University and act as a repository for funds, while investing and overseeing funds on behalf of the University of Louisville. These funds are used for scholarships, endowments, research chairs, grants and other academic initiatives as recommended by the donors. Gifts to the University, whether restricted or unrestricted, are received, managed and invested under the aegis of the Foundation. The donor and the appropriate University departments decide upon the use of foundation gifts. When the donor makes no specific restriction, funds are spent at the discretion of the Foundation Board upon the recommendation of the President.

Through the stewardship of the Foundation, the University’s endowment is the largest among the public universities in the state of Kentucky and among the top 20 public universities in the nation. U of L ranked 86th in size, when measured with all public and private universities in the United States (source: Chronicle of Higher Education).