January 1, 2009

The Endowment: Each School’s Stake

(Sidebar) The shrinking Harvard endowment affects the University's different schools differently.

From The January-February 2009 Issue

Return to main article:

Harvard’s endowment, valued at $36.9 billion as of last June 30, in fact belongs to the separate schools and other academic departments. The large chart shows the share of the endowment owned by each (the Faculty of Arts and Sciences loomed largest, at $15.7 billion—nearly 43 percent of the total). Of crucial importance is each school’s dependence on distributions from the endowment for its operating budget, shown in the inset chart. Source: Harvard University Financial Report, Fiscal Year 2008.

Chart by Stephen Anderson

Published in the January-February 2009 print issue in the John Harvard's Journal section.

Related topics

University News

University Finances

You might also like

Podcasting is becoming one of the fastest-growing methods of sharing political discourse to wide audiences

Are Creators the Future of Democracy?

A Harvard panel considers how “parasocial relationships” might drive democratic engagement.

Loeb House surrounded by snow and greenery under a clear blue sky.

Harvard Board of Overseers Candidates Describe Priorities

Alumni will vote for the University governing board in April and May.

Dick Friedman, longstanding contributing editor to Harvard Magazine,

Five Questions with Dick Friedman

Harvard Magazine’s longstanding football editor reflects on his career in journalism.

Most popular

Joseph Nye, former Dean of Harvard Kennedy School and leading political scientist

Mark Carney on the Limits of Soft Power

At the 2026 Davos summit, the Canadian prime minister echoes Harvard’s Joseph Nye.

Students writing at desks on wheels, racing ahead of a stationary student at a fixed desk

Why Men Are Falling Behind in Education, Employment, and Health

Can new approaches to education address a growing gender gap?

Illustration of tiny doctors working inside a large nose against a turquoise background.

A Flu Vaccine That Actually Works

Next-gen vaccines delivered directly to the site of infection are far more effective than existing shots.

Explore More From Current Issue

A jubilant graduate shouts into a megaphone, surrounded by a cheering crowd.

For Campus Speech, Civility is a Cultural Practice

A former Harvard College dean reviews Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber’s book Terms of Respect.

An axolotl with a pale body and pink frilly gills, looking directly at the viewer.

Regenerative Biology’s Baby Steps

What axolotl salamanders could teach us about limb regrowth

Cover of "Harvard's Best" featuring a woman in a red and black gown holding a sword.

Harvard History

A Forgotten Harvard Anthem

Published the year the Titanic sank, “Harvard’s Best” is a quizzical ode to the University.