Public Endowments

Health Care Endowment Fund

The Health Care Endowment Fund is comprised of two distinct state trust funds: the Nebraska Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund and the Nebraska Medicaid Intergovernmental Trust Fund (IGT). Although their external funding sources differ, the investments are managed identically, and the spending policies are similar. The Nebraska Investment Council is responsible for managing these investments.

General Endowment Funds

The Nebraska Investment Council manages the investments of the following endowment funds:

• Permanent School Fund - The endowment receives proceeds from the sales of school land held in trust for public education, payments for easements and right-of-way over the lands, and royalties and severance taxes paid on oil, gas, and minerals produced from these lands. The net income earned on this fund is distributed annually to K-12 public schools.
• The Nebraska Early Childhood Education Endowment Fund - The endowment provides funding for grants to schools and community partners to provide programs serving at-risk children from birth to age three.
• The Nebraska Veterans’ Aid Fund - The endowment provides emergency financial assistance to eligible veterans and dependents.
• The Cultural Preservation Endowment Fund - The endowment supports the activities of the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Humanities Council. Distributions from this fund are conditioned on matching contributions from other sources.
• The Agricultural Endowment Fund - The endowment receives proceeds from sales of land granted by the federal government. Investment income is distributed to the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
• The Permanent Endowment Fund - The endowment receives proceeds from the sales of land granted by the federal government. Investment income is distributed to the University of Nebraska. This fund is also called the Permanent University Endowment Fund.
• The Normal School Endowment - The endowment receives proceeds from sales of land granted by the federal government. Investment income is distributed for the benefit of the state colleges. This fund is also called the State College Endowment Fund.
• The Nebraska Environmental Endowment Fund - The endowment is funded by the state lottery program and is part of the Nebraska Environmental Trust. The Trust provides grants for environmental conservation purposes in Nebraska.
• The Bessey Memorial Fund - The endowment provides aid to widows of University of Nebraska professors.
• The Meadowlark Endowment Fund - The endowment may receive qualified private contributions and any amounts appropriated or transferred to the fund by the Legislature. Investment income earned each calendar year is distributed to accounts opened during that same calendar year in the Meadowlark Program. The purpose of the program is to promote access to postsecondary educational opportunities by providing funds to qualified individuals.
• The Capitol Preservation, Restoration, & Enhancement Endowment Fund - The endowment consists of money transferred to the fund by the Legislature, as well as bequests, donations, gifts, grants, or other money received from any federal or state agency or public or private source. The money is used for preservation, restoration, and enhancement of the State Capitol and Capitol grounds.