Existing funds to which donors may make contributions include the following:

• Political Science Gift Fund – The Political Science Gift Fund provides support for any worthy activity related to the department and its programs. Donors to the Gift Fund may specify that their gift is given in honor of a particular person, place, event, or organization which deserves respect orf thanks. Their gifts will be appropriately acknowledged and their honoree recognized and informed of their gift. 

• Public Law Lecture Endowment – supports regular lectures in public law.

• Avery Leiserson Fund – unrestricted fund in honor of the late Professor Leiserson, a former department chair who was also elected President of the American and the Southern Political Science Associations. 

• J. Lieper Freeman Memorial Fund – recognizes, encourages, and aids selected graduate students, especially those with interests in legislative or Southern politics; funds an award to recognize outstanding graduate student research in legislative or Southern politics.

• Robert H. Birkby Excellence in Teaching Award for Faculty – supports an award to the political science faculty members who demonstrates the highest caliber of teaching and who share Professor Birkby's qualities of enthusiasm, care for students, and excellence in scholarship, as determined by an undergraduate student committee. Bob Birkby is retired and living in Nashville. He is often present at the awards ceremony at which the Birkby Award is given. 

• General Motors Understanding Business Competition Award Fund – supports community building activities in the department and undergraduate student presentations at major research conferences.

• Mary Lynn Armistead Fund for the Norman Thomas Lecture Series – supports the Norman Thomas Lecture series.  This series has sponsored several important speeches and conferences that have contributed to public and scholarly discussion about politics and political science.