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Perspectives | Index
Higher Education Price Index Forecast August 2026
According to Commonfund Institute's latest update, HEPI forecasts a 3.5 percent inflation rate for U.S. colleges and universities in fiscal year 2026. The latest forecast, based on data through...
Featured
Perspectives | Insights Blog
Key Findings From the 2025 Study of Foundations [Infographic]
Featured
Governance And Policy | Insights Blog
Investment Policy Statement: The Document Behind Every Decision
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Investment Strategy | Articles
Mind the Gap: The Strategic Risk of Skipping a Vintage in Private Equity
Private equity (inclusive of buyouts, growth equity, and venture capital) remains a compelling long-term asset class, but recent periods of muted distributions and below-average returns have created...
Perspectives | Press Releases
FY25 NACUBO-Commonfund Study Released
U.S. Higher Education Endowments Report Stable Returns, Increase Spending to $33.4 Billion in FY25 The NACUBO-Commonfund Study of 657 colleges and universities reports a 10-year average return of...
Investment Strategy | Videos
Understanding the Private Equity Secondaries Market
This Commonfund Institute Online video explores the evolving landscape of the private equity secondaries market, focusing on both Limited Partner (LP)- and General Partner (GP)-led transactions.
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Featured
Private Equity | Private Equity Insights
The Other Side of the Liquidity Equation: What Semi-Liquid Funds Cost You on Day One
The focus on how capital can come back from a semi-liquid fund often overshadows an equally important question: the impact on liquidity the moment capital goes in. That asymmetry leads to an... Learn Moreeducational-endowments
Governance And Policy | Insights Blog
Key Governance Factors for Higher Education Prove to Be Quantifiable
A board self-assessment is one of the most commonly used tools to evaluate how effectively a board performs. The purpose of a board self-assessment is to help board members analyze their present and...
educational-endowments
Diversity | Insights Blog
Evolving Our Definition of Diverse Managers
Investing in diverse managers has evolved considerably over the last five years, catapulted by client demand, broad social concern over events such as the murders of George Floyd, as well as a...
educational-endowments
Private Equity | Private Equity Insights
Founding Partner of MiddleGround Capital Answers Three Questions
Commonfund Capital Managing Director, Mark Hoeing, interviews Lauren Mulholland, Founding Partner of MiddleGround Capital in this Commonfund Manager Spotlight.
public-pensions
Investment Strategy | Private Equity Insights
Is There Method in the Madness of Today’s Crypto Market Chaos?
In recent months crypto markets have experienced extreme volatility and drawdowns, and it is self-evident that the next “crypto winter,” or prolonged bearish period, is upon us. However, these price...
educational-endowments
Diversity | Spotlight
Melissa Madzel, Managing Partner of Axis Talent Partners and Board Member of Stonewall Community Foundation
In celebration of Pride Month, Commonfund Institute Executive Director, George Suttles, interviews Melissa Madzel, Managing Partner of Axis Talent Partners and Board Member of Stonewall Community...
educational-endowments
Governance And Policy | Insights Blog
Aligning Spending Policy with Your Institution’s Long-Term Goals
Commonfund has designed a set of questions to help guide a committee—and staff—toward selecting the most appropriate spending policy. We have used these questions as a guideline for conversations...
Investment Strategy | Insights Blog
Endowment Management: The Business of Independent Schools
Commonfund is proud to contribute a chapter to NBOA’s new book “The Business of Independent Schools – A Leader’s Guide” – a new edition of “By the Numbers and Beyond.” This publication provides...
educational-endowments
Investment Strategy | Insights Blog
Don’t Let Inflation be a One-Two Punch for Your Endowment
Investment committees overseeing the endowments of higher ed institutions need to think about inflation for two fundamental reasons.
educational-endowments
Private Equity | Private Equity Insights
Private Equity: Responding Tactically, Changing Strategically
The current year has seen an enormous amount of change packed into a few months: breakout inflation, rising interest rates, war in Ukraine, COVID mutations and stubborn supply chain problems. We know...
educational-endowments
Private Equity | Private Equity Insights
Measuring Success with Private Equity
In early May, Commonfund had the opportunity to participate in the NACUBO Endowment Leadership Series by delivering a virtual learning session entitled, “Measuring Success with Private Equity”. The...
educational-endowments
Diversity | Insights Blog
Diversity and Diversification: The People Edge in Portfolios
Can diverse people managing investment portfolios deliver an edge in performance? A growing body of research shows that diverse managers—defined by gender, race, ethnicity or other...
The “Divorcification” of Stocks and Bonds