(a)        Subject to the intent of a donor expressed in the gift instrument, an institution may appropriate for expenditure or accumulate so much of an endowment fund as the institution determines is prudent for the uses, benefits, purposes, and duration for which the endowment fund is established. Unless stated otherwise in the gift instrument, the assets in an endowment fund are donor-restricted assets until appropriated for expenditure by the institution. In making a determination to appropriate or accumulate, the institution shall act in good faith, with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would exercise under similar circumstances, and shall consider, if relevant, the following factors:

(1)        The duration and preservation of the endowment fund;

(2)        The purposes of the institution and the endowment fund;

(3)        General economic conditions;

(4)        The possible effect of inflation or deflation;

(5)        The expected total return from income and the appreciation of investments;

(6)        Other resources of the institution; and

(7)        The investment policy of the institution.

(b)        To limit the authority to appropriate for expenditure or accumulate under subsection (a) of this section, a gift instrument must specifically state the limitation.

(c)        Terms in a gift instrument designating a gift as an endowment, or a direction or authorization in the gift instrument to use only “income,” “interest,” “dividends,” or “rents, issues, or profits,” or “to preserve the principal intact,” or words of similar import:

(1)        Create an endowment fund of permanent duration unless other language in the gift instrument limits the duration or purpose of the fund; and

(2)        Do not otherwise limit the authority to appropriate for expenditure or accumulate under subsection (a) of this section. ?(1985, c. 98, s. 1; 2009-8, s. 2.)

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Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 36E-4

  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • Donor: The person who makes a gift.
  • following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
  • Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3