In April 2020, Cambridge Associates conducted a survey of our foundation clients to gauge sentiment about spending for the current year and to understand potential sources of flexibility and liquidity in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year has brought tremendous disruption and uncertainty, but foundations are approaching these challenges with responsive philanthropy and a long-term view, so they can support important causes in 2020 and beyond.
This report summarizes returns, asset allocation, and related trends for 278 endowed institutions. Included are exhibits on asset class returns, performance attribution, risk analytics, policy portfolio benchmarking, and uncalled capital commitments. The analysis is broken down by size of assets under management and by institution type. The report also contains sections on investment manager structures, payout from the long-term investment portfolio, and investment office staffing and governance. Finally, accompanying this year’s report are videos which draw your attention to some of the report highlights and let you hear directly from the authors.
This publication, based on our biennial Investment Office Organization and Governance survey of small, medium, and large endowments and foundations, offers a snapshot of responses in three key areas: investment office staffing, oversight costs, and governance.
This new report summarizes portfolio returns, asset allocation, and related trends for 289 endowed institutions. Included are exhibits on asset class returns, performance attribution, risk analytics, policy portfolio benchmarking, and uncalled capital commitments to private investments. The analysis is broken down by size of assets under management and by institution type. The report also contains…
This report summarizes portfolio returns, asset allocation, and related trends for 164 colleges and universities. Included are exhibits on asset class returns, performance attribution, risk analytics, policy portfolio benchmarking, and uncalled capital commitments to private investments. The report also contains sections on investment management structures and flows to and from the long-term investment portfolio. Finally, this year’s report includes a new section that looks at topics pertaining to governance and investment office staffing.
This report reviews portfolio returns, asset allocation, investment manager structures, and net flow data for 54 cultural and environmental institutions. Analysis and exhibits include asset class returns, performance attribution, risk analytics, policy portfolio benchmarking, the impact of private investment programs on portfolio liquidity, the use of external managers by asset class, and net flow rates.
This report reviews portfolio returns, asset allocation, investment manager structures, and net flow data for 161 colleges and universities. Analysis and exhibits include asset class returns, performance attribution, risk analytics, policy portfolio benchmarking, the impact of private investment programs on portfolio liquidity, the use of external managers by asset class, and net flow rates.
Institutions understandably have an interest in the investment results of peers, but a hyper-focus on peer comparisons can be distracting, if not destructive, to effective governance. In this report, we review what can be learned from peer data, where the pitfalls lie, and some examples of how to approach analyzing peer data.
The strains on public universities require a new approach to resources, and an increasingly expertly managed endowment fund and fundraising operation are essential to that evolution
Our quarterly report summarizes asset allocation and total investment performance for over 400 of Cambridge Associates’ endowment and foundation clients. The average return of the US Endowment and Foundation universe was -1.3% for the quarter ended September 30, 2014, ending a four-quarter run of positive performance that began in third quarter 2013. Trailing one-year returns…