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Purpose-Driven Governance in the Nonprofit Sector
Join host George Suttles, Executive Director of Commonfund Institute in this episode of "Espresso Chats," a series by the Commonfund Institute serving up strong, short shots of governance and... Learn More
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Commonfund on the Road: Insights from our Seattle Roundtable
Commonfund OCIO recently hosted a roundtable luncheon in Seattle, WA, for local nonprofit leaders. During our time together, we discussed how institutions can attain intergenerational equity in their...
Fiscal Year-End and Mid-Year 2023 Market and Investment Review
The end of fiscal year 2023, and mid-point of the calendar year, marks the end of the pandemic years. At this point, many have returned to the workplace, at least part time, in-person meetings have...
Soak Up Some Sun with One of Our Favorite Books!
Commonfund Institute is excited to share our must-reads for summer 2023. These books are the perfect partner for some fun in the sun, or some time relaxing in the shade. We hope you have a great...
Midyear Rally or Multiple Expansion?
The long-awaited decline in earnings growth appears to be upon us nearly halfway through 2023. Expectations for S&P 500 year-end earnings per share (EPS) growth range from flat to a tepid 1 percent.
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,...
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...
How to Implement ESG at Your Institution
The following has been adapted from a presentation delivered at Commonfund Forum 2023. The presenters were Rachel Stavola Clivaz, Associate Director, and Anthony Peretore, Managing Director,...
More Than Multiples: Understanding the Broader Drivers of Equity Valuations
The S&P 500 has produced a ~25 percent annualized return for the three successive years ending September 2025, a banner period of performance.