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Investment Strategy | Articles

Viewpoint | Top Concerns for Community Foundations: Donor-Advised Fund Regulations

Potential regulations on donor-advised funds (DAFs) and their effect on the philanthropic sector was the most-cited concern among community foundations in this year’s Council on...

Perspectives | Press Releases

FY23 NACUBO-Commonfund Study Released

U.S. Higher Education Endowments Report 7.7% Return for FY23 While Spending More in Support of Their Missions 50th anniversary NACUBO-Commonfund Study shows participating colleges and universities...

Governance And Policy | Videos

2025 Policy Outlook: What Endowments and Foundations Should Know

Looking back at 2024, uncertainty was the name of the game: inflation, interest rates, market volatility, emerging technology, recession potential, and geopolitical risks all played a role. As we...

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Perspectives | Insights Blog

Study of Foundations - Key Highlights [Infographic] 2023

In this infographic, we report the key highlights from the 2023 Council on Foundations-Commonfund Study of Foundations. For the year ended December 31, 2023, participating foundations reported a...
Market Commentary | Insights Blog

Is Your Portfolio Positioned for Lower Rates?

Until recently, investors were no doubt pleased with the continued strong equity performance in 2024 that resulted in new highs in the major domestic indices and strong returns globally.
Outsourced Cio | Insights Blog

Unveiling OCIO: Roles and Responsibilities in Governance

Explore the intricate governance dynamics within Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) models and how they shape investment outcomes.
Investment Strategy | Insights Blog

Educational Alpha Podcast: A Conversation with Mark Anson

In this episode of the "Educational Alpha Podcast" host Bill Kelly sits down with Mark Anson, CEO and CIO of Commonfund to explore the evolution of the endowment model and its ongoing relevance in...
Market Commentary | Private Equity Insights

The Secondary Market is Vaulting Over Prior Records

2024 is expected to be a record year for secondaries, but the market volume should be even larger. The secondary market remains undercapitalized and under-resourced. Investors are unable to transact...
Perspectives | Press Releases

Foundations' Endowed Portfolios Produced Higher Returns in 2023

One-year returns recovered, OCIO use increased, gifts and responsible investing moderated Wilton, Conn. (September 4, 2024) — In the improved market environment of 2023, average annual returns on...
Market Commentary | Private Equity Insights

Are Mega-Cap Technology Stocks Enough to Ride the AI Wave?

The past 18 months have witnessed the dominance of a small group of tech stocks in the U.S. equity market. Collectively dubbed the Magnificent Seven (Mag 7)1, these stocks as a basket have...
Perspectives | Index

Higher Education Price Index (HEPI) Forecast August 2024

According to Commonfund Institute's latest update, the HEPI forecasts a 3.4 percent inflation rate for U.S. colleges and universities in fiscal year 2024. The latest forecast, based on data through...
Market Commentary | Insights Blog

How Long Can the Yen Carry Trade Carry On?

Since Japan's economic crash in the 1990s, the Bank of Japan (BOJ) has maintained extremely low interest rates to combat deflation. For nearly a decade, Japan's benchmark rate has been negative,...
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...
Market Commentary | Podcasts

Commonfund OCIO Point of View

Episode 4 In this episode we cover the macro perspective and how we analyze the Fed and interest rate risks. We also talk through the upcoming U.S. election and policy approaches.
Investor Spotlight | Spotlight

Montana Tech’s Rigorous STEM Curriculum Produces In-Demand Graduates

Borrowing from the popular TV quiz show “Jeopardy!” the answer is: “Montana Technological University.” The question: “What is the only university in the U.S. with an underground mine located on...