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The PE Secondary Market: What Investors Need to Know
At a recent Commonfund Forum session, Ethan Levine, Head of Secondaries at CF Private Equity, sat down with David Markson, Senior Managing Director at Evercore's Private Capital Advisory Group, and...
Understanding the Evolution of the Natural Resources Opportunity Set
If you believed the headlines from 2015 through 2020, you might have concluded that oil and gas investing was finished — a relic being steadily dismantled by the twin forces of ESG pressure and the... Learn More
Strategic Planning May Be Saving the Day for Cultural Institutions
Given the disruption to “normalcy” brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the racial justice issues that erupted in the U.S. in 2020 and continue today, some may say it has been a time of reckoning...
Tech Stocks Lead the Market Decline in Early 2022
2022 began with one of the worst market performance periods since 2009. While the tech-heavy NASDAQ index looks to finish January with a loss of around 10 percent, value equities will likely record...
Aligning Endowments & Investments with Foundation Values
Reflections from the Council on Foundations' webinar The 2020 Council on Foundations-Commonfund Study of Investment of Endowments for Private and Community Foundations (CCSF) is the field’s most...
Consumer Savings and Disposable Income Under Pressure
As 2021 comes to an end, we enter 2022 with a good dose of uncertainty in the markets as the Fed begins to reduce and ultimately removes its accommodative policy which has been in place since the...
Commonfund Asset Management Announces Organization Changes
As a leading Outsourced CIO firm serving nonprofit organizations, we consistently re-evaluate our organization and processes looking for opportunities to improve how we work and serve our clients. To...
In Remembrance: Verne O. Sedlacek
A Gentle Giant The Commonfund community was shocked and saddened this week by the news of the sudden passing of our former President and CEO, Verne Sedlacek at the age of 67.
Sky High Valuations Could Spell Weaker Forward Returns
When we look for potential roadblocks that could spoil the breakneck pace of capital markets, the first risk that comes to mind is record-high valuations. While inflation risks have become more...
Diversifying Foundation Boards
The call for private and community foundation boards to embrace and demonstrate diversity at the senior leadership and board level has never been more urgent. Yet, with a growing base of research...
Ten Tips for Successful Meetings
On November 9, 2021, Commonfund Institute held its first virtual Investment Stewardship Academy session since the program began nearly 30 years ago. The course focused on committee decision-making...
Chart of the Month | Fed Remains Patient on Rate Hikes Despite Market Expectations For A More Aggressive Move
In its latest meeting on November 3rd, the Fed announced its decision to begin scaling back its historic bond purchasing program, marking the beginning of the end of the program that was aimed at...
The Price of Liquidity - Commonfund Coffee Talk
The Price of Liquidity for Perpetual Investors Our third and final Coffee Talk focused on the most important and impactful decision endowments and foundations can make within their strategic asset...
Commonfund Perspective on the Russian Invasion of Ukraine