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Governance And Policy | Articles

Seven Promising Practices for the Future of Higher Education

Even before the pandemic, the college/university business model was under scrutiny. With rising tuition costs outpacing living wages, and student debt burdens crippling students, institutions of...
Perspectives | Press Releases

2022 HEPI Report Released

Inflation for U.S. higher education institutions rises 5.2% in fiscal 2022; reaching highest annual rate since 6.0% in 2001 WILTON, Conn., December 15, 2022 – Data from the annual Commonfund Higher...
Governance And Policy | Videos

Impact and Values-Aligned Investing - Commonfund Coffee Talk

IMpact and Values-aligned investing The second session in our Commonfund Coffee Talk series focuses on the opportunities that foundations have in the impact and values-aligned investing spaces....

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Bright Spots for Foundations in 2022 and Early 2023 Featured Image
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Perspectives | Insights Blog

Bright Spots for Foundations in 2022 and Early 2023

In a period where individual giving was down, historic levels of inflation put pressure on markets and the real economy, private and community foundations were asked to provide more resources to... Learn More
Perspectives | Reports And Surveys

Participate in the FY2023 Independent Schools Study

Participate in the Commonfund Benchmarks Study® of Independent Schools and gain insights into investment practices, governance, and responsible investing.
Perspectives | Insights Blog

Study of Foundations - Key Highlights [Infographic] 2022

In this infographic, we report the key highlights from the 2022 Council on Foundations-Commonfund Study of Foundations. For the year ended December 31, 2022, participating foundations reported an...
Market Commentary | Private Equity Insights

Are LP Secondary Transactions Racing to a Record Year?

In the 1st half of 2023, global secondary market volume was down 25 percent year-over-year (“YoY”), decreasing from $57 billion to $43 billion1. This was partially driven by the 24 percent YoY...
Perspectives | Press Releases

Foundations' Endowed Portfolios Produced Lower Returns in 2022

Longer-term results also eased, according to data from the annual Council on Foundations-Commonfund Study; despite lower returns, spending in support of missions held steady. Wilton, Conn. (August...
Market Commentary | Insights Blog

Global Currency Returns Diverge

A year ago, the dollar was approaching multi-decade highs as global currencies coped with the most aggressive FOMC hiking cycle of the last forty years.
Perspectives | Index

Higher Education Price Index (HEPI) Forecast August 2023

According to Commonfund Institute's latest update, the HEPI forecasts a 4.4 percent inflation rate for U.S. colleges and universities in fiscal year 2023. The latest forecast, based on data through...
Perspectives | Insights Blog

Observations from the 2023 NACUBO Annual Meeting

Last month, I had the pleasure of attending the NACUBO Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL, where nearly 2,000 representatives from higher education institutions across North America came together to share...
Diversity | Articles

Affirmative Action: Implications for Endowments, Foundations, and the Broader Industry

Affirmative action, a practice used since the 1960s to edge toward equity and address historical and ongoing injustice through higher education attainment, was struck down last month by the Supreme...
Diversity | Insights Blog

Pregnant Worker Fairness Act (PWFA) – A New Baseline DEI Standard

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are priorities throughout the asset management industry and the broader nonprofit landscape. Worker support policies like paid leave are often available in business...
Governance And Policy | Insights Blog

Three Fundamental Duties of Nonprofit Boards

It is essential that trustees of endowed portfolios hold themselves accountable to a set of standards in order to maintain sound governance practices. Fiduciary duty is an important part of the...
Market Commentary | Insights Blog

Markets Signal Higher for Longer Interest Rates

Market sentiment on bonds continues to trend lower, leaving the overall open interest in short-dated U.S. Treasury futures net short at an unprecedented level. There is the potential that these short...
Perspectives | Insights Blog

Five Key Insights from the 2023 Investment Stewardship Academy

Interning at Commonfund Institute has been a constant process of learning. Since starting my internship in early June, my knowledge has increased as my formal study of economics at UChicago connects...