Summer 2021
Foundation Assets Estimated at $1.24 Trillion as of June 30, New Record
FoundationMark models indicate that U.S. foundations' assets rose to $1.24 trillion as of June 30, 2021. The recent growth in foundation assets is primarily attributable to investment gains of 9.3% for the GIV Index in the six months to June 30, 2021. Since the pandemic low in March 2020, global equity markets have delivered strong returns, fueling foundation asset and giving … [Read more...] about Foundation Assets Estimated at $1.24 Trillion as of June 30, New Record
Benchmark Limbo. How Low Can You Go?
Custom Benchmarks In a previous article, Who Controls The Money?, we explored the case that a large part of investment performance is controlled by creating and implementing an investment policy statement (IPS). One factor we highlighted is the use of custom benchmarks. Custom benchmarks are largely the result of the increase in alternative assets. In effect the argument … [Read more...] about Benchmark Limbo. How Low Can You Go?
Foundations and Endowments: A Case for Risk
Similar Yet DistinctMost people consider foundations and endowments to be essentially interchangeable entities as both can be viewed as pots of money that exist to provide charitable support to nonprofits. But if you peel back the first layer of the onion, you will see structural differences between the two that can have important implications on their investment … [Read more...] about Foundations and Endowments: A Case for Risk