2011 Wyoming Statutes
TITLE 21 - EDUCATION
CHAPTER 16 - HIGHER EDUCATION GENERALLY
21-16-904. Endowment challenge fund matching fund program; matching payments; agreements with university foundation; annual reports; reversions of appropriations; legislative oversight.

(a) The state treasurer shall administer the matching fund program established under this section. The following shall apply to the program:

(i) To the extent that funds are available in the challenge account, the state treasurer shall match each substantial endowment gift actually received by the University of Wyoming foundation by transferring from the challenge account to the university an amount equal to the amount of the substantial endowment gift. Prior to the receipt of any substantial endowment gift, the donor shall be notified by the foundation that there may or may not be any state matching funds available for the gift. If funds are not available within the account, the amount of substantial endowment gifts to the foundation may be accumulated until such time as matching funds become available. Endowment gifts made directly to the university shall be endowment gifts to the foundation for purposes of this section. The university shall manage both the endowment gifts and the matching funds in the same manner as other endowment funds, but otherwise subject to the provisions of this section;

(ii) The state treasurer shall make transfers to the university under this section not later than the end of the calendar quarter following the quarter during which the gift is received. Where a gift is made through a series of payments or transfers, except as provided in paragraph (ix) of this subsection, no matching funds shall be transferred by the state treasurer until the total value of all payments or transfers actually received toward the gift totals at least fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00). Thereafter, matching funds shall be transferred as payments or transfers toward that gift are received by the foundation. Nothing in this paragraph prohibits the university foundation from accumulating substantial endowment gifts until such time as state matching funds become available;

(iii) The university shall immediately transfer all matching funds received to the university foundation to be permanently invested. The university shall enter into a new agreement or modify its existing agreement with the University of Wyoming foundation under which the foundation shall manage the matching funds it receives in the same manner as other permanent endowment funds managed by the University of Wyoming foundation. Only the earnings from the investment of these funds may be expended. These earnings shall be expended exclusively for the purposes of the endowment, including increasing the balance in the corpus and for reasonable costs of administration;

(iv) The state treasurer shall distribute funds or encumber funds for future distribution in the case of a written commitment, to match a substantial endowment gift based on the order in which each substantial endowment gift is actually received or in which a written commitment to make a substantial endowment gift is received by the foundation. Matching funds shall not be distributed or encumbered in excess of the amount in the challenge account. In no event shall matching funds be transferred to the university except to match substantial endowment gifts actually received or to match gifts actually received and accumulated. The state treasurer shall rescind an encumbrance if the university notifies him that a donor who made a commitment will not make a substantial endowment gift that qualifies for matching funds under this section;

(v) If the president of the university determines that the purpose of a substantial endowment gift to the foundation is not consistent with mission or capability of the university, the gift shall not qualify for the matching program under this section;

(vi) For the purpose of calculating the matching amount only, the state treasurer shall use the value of a substantial endowment gift based on its fair market value at the time the gift is received by the university foundation. The university shall provide evidence of fair market value as the state treasurer requires for each substantial endowment gift. The state treasurer's office shall not bear any costs associated with providing evidence;

(vii) The University of Wyoming shall on or before October 1 of each year submit a report to the state treasurer from the foundation regarding the endowment matching program established under this section for the preceding fiscal year. The report shall include a financial summary and a review of the accomplishments resulting from endowment program expenditures. The state treasurer shall distribute the report to the governor and the legislature;

(viii) Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 52, 3.

(ix) To the extent funds are available in the challenge account, the state treasurer shall distribute matching funds not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) for each fallen heroes endowment as follows:

(A) Two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) for the first one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) actually received in a fallen heroes endowment; and

(B) Three thousand dollars ($3,000.00) for an additional one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) received in a fallen heroes endowment, excluding any funds deposited in a fallen heroes endowment pursuant to this paragraph.

(b) Any funds appropriated to a university endowment fund by the legislature shall be credited to the university fund endowment challenge account under W.S. 21-16-903.

(c) Nothing in this section obligates the legislature to match accumulated substantial endowment gifts as authorized under subsection (a) of this section. The legislature reserves the right to modify or terminate the matching program at any time.