Land Board approves record high distributions to beneficiaries up to 2025

BOISE, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —One of Idaho’s state agencies is getting ready to doll out over 100 million dollars to other state departments.

The Idaho Department of Lands oversees millions of acres of endowment lands that benefit things like public schools and state hospitals. Money is made through site leases and timber sales to name a few.

IDL generated over 52 million dollars of net income from endowment land. That money goes into a fund to be distributed to beneficiaries.

The Endowment Fund Investment Board manages the fund for the state.

That fund had a balance of around three billion at the end of the fiscal year in July and the fund netted record high distributions.

EFIB Manager of Investments Chris Anton says,” You can see from fiscal 2017 through the current 2024 beneficiary distributions have grown from 63.2 million to 103 million a year and today I’m recommending the land board consider increasing those distributions to 103.2 million in fiscal year 2025. It’s a 2.9 percent increase.”

The Idaho Land Board of Commissioners (Land Board) approved the record high distribution. The board is made up of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Attorney General, State Controller, Secretary of State, and chaired by the Governor.

A full breakdown of beneficiaries and financial information can be found on Idaho Department of Lands webpage.