Frequently Asked Questions

Online: Using your Visa, American Express, or Master Card. You will receive an electronic receipt by e-mail. Please click the "give now" button to show your support online.

In Person: Visit us in the Office of Development at 4417 Monarch Way, 4th floor Receptionist Desk.

Mail: You also have the option to mail in a check to the following address:

Old Dominion University Educational Foundation
4417 Monarch Way, 4th Floor
Norfolk, Virginia 23529

Yes, to the fullest extent allowed by law. Depending on the type of gift you make, you may want to consult your accountant or lawyer for additional details.

Please make your check payable to Old Dominion University Educational Foundation. If your gift is designated for athletics, please make your check payable to the Old Dominion University Athletic Foundation. If you wish to designate your gift to a specific area, please write that information in the memo area, or include additional information on how you would like your gift designated. If you would like to charge your gift to a credit card (American Express, Visa, MasterCard), please click the "give now" button located at the top of the page.

Absolutely. Gifts may be tangible, such as real estate to support the Eastside Village development, a boat for the sailing team, rare books for Special Collections, or equipment for laboratories. In addition, gifts of appreciated securities, insurance, trusts, and estate bequests can be made to support Old Dominion University.

An endowment, or endowed fund, is a gift that is held in perpetuity for the benefit of an educational or charitable institution. The gift principal is invested to provide a stream of support for a designated purpose (such as scholarships) or for general support of the institution. For donors, creating an endowed fund is a way to put their wealth to work for a cause in which they believe, while establishing an enduring personal legacy or memorial for a loved one. For the institution, endowed funds furnish a crucial source of strength and stability by providing continuous funding for high-priority needs.

Each endowed fund is administered according to the provisions of a written agreement approved by the donor and the University at the time the fund is established. This agreement sets forth the name and purpose of the endowment and is developed through discussions with the donor in conjunction with the Office of University Advancement.

Endowed funds are pooled for investment to contain costs and maximize returns. A separate accounting is maintained for each separate endowed fund to track growth, expenditures, and additional contributions—thereby preserving the identity and purpose of each fund. The ODU Endowment is overseen by the Educational Foundation Investment Committee composed of alumni and friends who collectively have decades of experience investing and managing institutional funds.

The Office of Donor Relations & Stewardship provides donors of endowed funds with an annual endowment report that reflects the financial status and activities of the fund for the previous calendar year.