Posts by Amanda Novello

Governance And Policy | Insights Blog

Four Things You Should Know About Inflation and the Higher Education Price Index

The Higher Education Price Index (HEPI), produced annually by Commonfund Institute, is an inflation measure designed specifically for educational institutions. It is comprised of eight key components...
Perspectives | Insights Blog

Commonfund Convenes: Foundations that Support Higher Education

Last month, Commonfund OCIO hosted an inaugural convening of institutionally-related foundations (IRFs) - foundations that are a separate entity and serve as administrative and often fundraising...
Outsourced Cio | Insights Blog

Why do Nonprofit Investors Seek an OCIO?

According to data from Commonfund's Benchmarks Studies, Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) usage is on the rise among private and community foundations and higher education over the past 10...
Perspectives | Insights Blog

Investment Stewardship Academy 2024: Lifetime Learning for Nonprofit Leaders

Commonfund Institute’s Investment Stewardship Academy (“ISA”), an intensive workshop for institutional investors and leaders that has been convening since 1993, came together on Yale’s campus in New...
Governance And Policy | Articles

Policy Areas Impacting Endowments and Foundations Today

Commonfund Institute aims to lift up and provide insight into how significant policy developments may impact nonprofit institutional investors. In the prior article, we covered implications of the...
Investment Strategy | Insights Blog

Adding Alpha through Emerging Investment Managers

Commonfund Forum 2024 convened a panel of emerging investment managers to spotlight their unique investment approaches. Moderated by Caroline Greer, managing director at Commonfund OCIO, the...
Perspectives | Insights Blog

Key Takeaways from the 2024 CASE Conference for College & University Foundations

Commonfund Institute provides analysis and thought leadership across the non-profit institutional investing space. But investments don’t happen in a vacuum – they are part of the institutional...
Perspectives | Insights Blog

Commonfund Forum 2024: 5 Key Takeaways

Commonfund Forum 2024 brought together 500+ attendees representing institutions with $890 billion in endowed assets in a 2.5-day conference. The event, themed “With Intention”, featured a...
Governance And Policy | Insights Blog

Increasing Use of OCIO Relationships Requires New Governance Considerations

More and more endowments and foundations are entering outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) relationships as long-term mission-aligned investing becomes mired in the complexity of rapidly...
Perspectives | Insights Blog

Foundation Leaders Highlight Successful Long-Term Investment Strategies during Turbulent Times

On September 27, 2023, Commonfund Institute hosted a webinar, “Highlights of the 2022 CCSF: A Deep Dive with Foundation Leaders.” The panel featured Elizabeth McGeveran, Director of Investments at...
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...
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...
Perspectives | Articles

The Value of Collective Learning: Takeaways from the Commonfund Institute 2023 Investment Stewardship Academy

In June 2023, the Commonfund Institute hosted 36 nonprofit leaders on the campus of Yale University for our premier educational event – the Investment Stewardship Academy (ISA). Much has changed...
Governance And Policy | Articles

5 Policy Areas Impacting Endowments and Foundations Today

Commonfund Institute Federal Policy Roundup: Affirmative Action, Debt Ceiling and more. This article highlights some of the most pressing policy considerations for endowments and foundations,...
Responsible Investing | Articles

Presidential Veto Upholds Legitimacy of ESG Investing

In March 2023, President Biden acted to secure the U.S. Department of Labor Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Rule as foundational investment policy that permits fiduciaries of private...
Investment Strategy | Articles

Time to Reassess Your Cash Strategy

Bank safety amidst a confidence crisis It’s not hard to find sore spots in the economy. High rates of inflation have hit pocketbooks and balance sheets and initiated the steepest interest rate hikes...
Governance And Policy | Articles

Governance Lessons from Commonfund Benchmark Studies

Commonfund has been partnering to produce industry insights and thought leadership across the nonprofit institutional investor space for decades. Central to these efforts have been benchmark studies...