Yale University has announced a $250 million commitment to create endowment funds to support its schools of medicine, nursing, and public health.

Over the next five years, Yale will allocate a total of $150 million to match endowment funds to be raised by Yale School of Medicine (YSM), School of Nursing (YSN), and School of Public Health (YSPH), with each school receiving up to $50 million. Funding will support financial aid and other educational initiatives, as well as address some of the challenges made salient by the COVID-19 pandemic, including shortages of health professionals and the need for increased diversity in these fields.

Yale also will provide a one-time, $100 million addition to YSPH’s endowment to eliminate its structural deficit and the subsidy it receives from YSM. Further, the university has decided to reorganize YSPH as a free-standing professional school rather than as a department within YSM.

“As we emerge from the present public health crisis, we can create a more resilient and equitable future by supporting the next generation of health professionals,” Yale president Peter Salovey and provost Scott Strobel said in a blog post. “The university’s commitment to develop future leaders in nursing, medicine, and public health will benefit not only the residents of this country but the well-being of everyone around the globe.”

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