SPECIAL NOTICE: For CALENDAR year 2025 and beyond, donations made through the Pick, Click, Give program will no longer be routed to the Endowment. These funds will now be deposited directly into the AEEF General account to defray the expenses associated with the AEEF’s tax filings.
In March of 2001, the Alaska Engineering Education Foundation (AEEF) Board established the AEEF Endowment with the goal of providing a continuing source of funding for AEEF’s principal activities: the Mathcounts program and ASPE/AEEF Scholarships. Over the years, generous donors have contributed nearly $550,000 to help build the Endowment; in return, the Endowment has disbursed nearly $69,000 (12.5%) to support engineering scholarships, the Mathcounts program, and general operation of the AEEF. During this fund-building period, excess earnings are necessarily held in investments until we establish self-sustaining footings.
If you have been coming here for any length of time, you could probably quote this missive back to me. So, this year I decided I’m going to change it up and get a little bit into the weeds. During the first 13 years of its 24-year life, the Endowment received $184,605 in contributions, disbursed $16,250 (to programs), and finished the 2014 fiscal year with an account balance of $200,135. During the following 11 years, the Endowment received $362,322 in contributions, disbursed an additional $52,575 (to programs), and finished the fiscal year (31 March 2025) with an account balance of $666,402. Despite the tumultuous market conditions during the past several years, we’ve managed to perform reasonably well, and show a current account balance around $733,000.
Upon taking the reins in 2014, I advised the Board to establish a goal of $800,000 as the foundation for a sustaining Endowment. Two years ago, the Board elected to raise this to $1,000,000. At the risk of jinxing our performance, we stand a very good chance of realizing the initial goal by the end of the fiscal (31March2026). It is exciting to see the generosity of a small cadre of steady, regular donors intent upon building the financial foundation of this Endowment that will support STEM programs and education in Alaska for decades to come.
But we need more help from YOU and NEW supporters of Mathcounts and Engineering Scholarships to achieve our goals of sustained support through this legacy Endowment. Our regular donors have been stalwarts in the community and in support of this Endowment. Other community members support the programs mentioned above by making direct contributions to Mathcounts and engineering society scholarship programs administered by AEEF for current year expenses. Regardless which they choose – current or long term – the investment in our youth, our state, and our nation is highly commendable.*
Know that we who volunteer in our roles with AEEF appreciate truly every penny you donate to this cause and we endeavor to make the most of your investment by building the foundation of support our target programs need to flourish. During 2025/2026, we continued to invest monies according to the criteria established by the Board several years ago. Market conditions have been erratic during the past few years, but we remain confident our investments will yield superior results over the long run.
Sincerely, thank you to those who have contributed in the past; please keep the Endowment among your favored charities going forward; and please invite friends, co-workers, and industry fellows to join the program. You might even consider the Endowment in your estate planning. To make a contribution to the AEEF Endowment, click on the button below (this will take you to a PayPal checkout page. If you do not have a PayPal account, please note that there is a link to pay directly with a credit card on the bottom of the PayPal checkout page). There is an option to add a note directing your donation to a particular program. Please take advantage of this feature.
You can save the PayPal and credit card expenses by mailing contributions to:
AEEF Endowment Chair
c/o Design Alaska
601 College Road
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Please make checks payable to “AEEF Endowment” and indicate in the memo field the Fund or funds to which your contribution is to be applied: Mathcounts, Scholarships, General.
The AEEF Endowment was created under the tax-exempt 501.c.3 provisions of the IRS code. All donations are fully tax-deductible.
Thank you for your consideration and support!
*NOTE: The link above supports development of the long-term endowment. Other links at this and other engineering society websites, support current year contributions for Mathcounts and program scholarships.
