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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
Commonfund Study of Independent Schools Released for FY2024
Back-to-Back Positive Years: Independent Schools Report 12.3% Return on Endowment Assets for FY2024; 10-Year average returns hold steady at 6.7% Returns Positive; New Gifts to Endowments Fell, Use of...
2025 Policy Outlook: What Endowments and Foundations Should Know
On January 30th, Commonfund Institute, in partnership with the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), the Council on Foundations (COF), and the Council for...
NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments
Request the FY2024 Study of Endowments to gain insights on investment strategies, governance, and best practices in higher education endowments
FY24 NACUBO-Commonfund Study Released
U.S. Higher Education Endowments Report 6.8% 10-Year Average Annual Return, Increase Spending to a Collective $30.0 Billion Annual NACUBO-Commonfund Study shows participating institutions spent...
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...
CF Private Equity Closes on Three Venture Capital Funds
Firm Closes Its Fifteenth Venture Capital Fund, Second Dedicated Venture Direct Fund, and First Dedicated Venture Blockchain Fund
Commonfund OCIO Names Julia Mord Chief Investment Officer
Mord will also serve as Chair of Commonfund OCIO’s Investment and Asset Allocation Committees and as a member of the Commonfund OCIO Executive Group WILTON, CT, February 5, 2025 – Commonfund OCIO,...
Private Equity Trends in 2024: Year in Review and Looking Forward
In our blog published early last year, Private Equity in 2024: Where Do We Go from Here, we posited private equity trends in 2024 would rebound following a sluggish 2022-2023 period, driven by a...
Determinants of Portfolio Returns – It Depends…
Asset allocation decisions have traditionally been associated with being the major determinant of portfolio returns. The Brinson, Hood, Beebower study of 19861 estimated that nearly 90 percent of...
The Housing Market Paradox
The U.S. housing market stands at a critical juncture as sectors adjust to the anticipated Trump administration. While various industries are pricing in different expectations, housing faces unique...
Private Markets Year in Review and 2025 Outlook
As we enter our 37th year, we write to share with you our year-end letter and observations of what may be ahead in 2025 in the private equity investment environment.
Year-End Update and 2025 Investment Outlook
Calendar year 2024 was another year of stellar returns in the equity markets, building on the strong performance of 2023 and forcing the miserable year of 2022 into our distant memory. The domestic...
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.