ELS25: Using Mission-Aligned Endowment Benchmarks
Recorded On: 03/06/2025
- Registration Closed
Higher education endowments are increasingly complex, marked by uncertainty, evolving stakeholder expectations, compliance requirements, and evolving governance practices. To help universities deal with these challenges, the Intentional Endowment Network (IEN) has developed the Endowment Impact Benchmark (EIB). This robust framework is designed to help institutions understand and evaluate social and environmental considerations within the context of endowment management. The EIB provides a comprehensive benchmarking framework that allows institutions to compare their endowment performance against peers. The benchmarking data offer critical insights into effective investment strategies that prioritize both financial returns and mission alignment.
This webinar will feature a panel of endowment leaders from EIB participant institutions who will share their firsthand experiences in using the tool. We will discuss successful implementation and communication strategies that foster a culture of transparency and collaboration. Throughout the webinar, we will reflect on lessons learned and provide insights that can save time and resources for others embarking on similar journeys. Participants will leave with a detailed roadmap for initiating benchmarking practices at their institutions, including how to identify key metrics, establish clear communication protocols, and foster collaboration among stakeholders.
Learning Objectives
After this webinar, you will be able to—
- Understand Endowment Impact Benchmark (EIB) data and the potential to benchmark their endowment’s approach to sustainable and mission-aligned investing against peers
- Discover and implement new strategies for aligning endowment management with institutional mission and goals, leveraging insights from EIB findings
- Gain new tools to foster collaborative discussions with stakeholders about the role of endowments in enhancing institutional sustainability and impact
Recording
This webinar will be recorded. Registrants will receive an email when the recording is available.
CPE Available: 1 Credit in Specialized Knowledge
Each individual must register and attend separately to earn credit.
NACUBO is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website www.nasbaregistry.org
Event Information
- Level: Intermediate
- Prerequisites: Minimum 1-2 years of experience as a professional in higher education or a related private industry.
- Advanced Preparation: None
- Delivery Mode: Group internet based
- Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge
- Length: 60 minutes
Steps to Earn CPE Credit
You can only earn credit for attending the session live. CPE credit cannot be earned for watching the recordings.
To earn CPE credit, you will complete the following tasks under the Content tab, after the session has ended:
- Pass the CPE codeword quiz. Write down the codewords posted in the Zoom chat at random times throughout the session and complete the quiz at the end of the session.
- Submit the CPE check-out code displayed at the end of the session.
- Download your CPE certificate.
You have until 5 pm Eastern Time on March 7, 2025, to complete these three steps or report technology issues with this site to online@nacubo.org.
For more detailed instructions, review the CPE Instructions page.
Nikki Kwan
Senior Analyst, Responsible Investing
University of Toronto Asset Management Corporation (UTAM)
Nikki Kwan is a responsible investing and impact investing professional dedicated to creating a more just and sustainable world through business and finance. At the University of Toronto Asset Management Corporation, she is focused on advancing the firm’s leadership and best practices in responsible investing. This includes the continued integration of ESG considerations throughout decision-making, manager selection, stewardship activities, reporting and disclosure, knowledge sharing, and industry building. Prior to UTAM, Kwan has worked with impact investment management firms, social finance intermediaries, social ventures, and institutional investors in North America and Asia to design and implement impact investing strategies and models that generate positive financial, social, and environmental outcomes. She has contributed to research reports examining Canada’s conservation finance landscape and various impact investing markets. She holds an honours business administration undergraduate degree with a sustainability certificate from the Ivey Business School at Western University.
Jeff Mindlin
Chief Investment Officer
ASU Foundation
Jeff Mindlin serves as the inaugural Chief Investment Officer at ASU Enterprise Partners. In this capacity, Jeff is responsible for managing about $2b of Arizona State University Foundation’s investment assets to maximize risk adjusted returns. This includes the endowment, sustainability, and short-term investment pools. He provides critical support of the Investment Committee and Board of Directors as well as oversight of consultants. He also leads the investment activities of other affiliates engaged in direct real estate and corporate venture capital. During his tenure, Jeff has been tasked with aligning the investment strategy with ASU’s sustainability leadership including Net Zero and corporate engagement efforts. Jeff serves on the boards of the university’s education technology accelerator (ASU ScaleU) and angel investor network (InvestU). He acts as a trustee to the retirement plan and advises on the investment management of ASU’s operating funds. To support ASU’s emphasis on experiential learning and sustainability, Jeff is active with multiple student managed funds and finance-related clubs. In addition, Jeff chairs the TIAA-Nuveen Investment Council and serves on the Intentional Endowment Network’s Executive Committee and Net Zero Working Group. He also serves on the investment committee for the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix.
Aaron J. Moore
CFO
California State University Foundation
Aaron Moore serves the California State University as executive director of advancement at the Office of the Chancellor and chief financial officer for the CSU Foundation, providing oversight in managing investments, financial reporting, and compliance. The CSU Foundation manages the Chancellor’s Office, multi-campus gifts and grants, and the systemwide charitable gift annuity program and disburses $2 million in student scholarships annually. Moore's team also oversees the CSU Alumni Council and systemwide alumni relations for the CSU's 4.3 million global alumni.
Georges Dyer
Executive Director
Intentional Endowments Network
Georges Dyer is co-founder and executive director of the Crane Institute of Sustainability and leads its flagship initiative, the Intentional Endowments Network (IEN), which supports endowments in aligning investment policies with institutional mission, values, and sustainability goals. For over 20 years, he has been engaged in solutions-based, whole-system approaches to sustainability. From 2006-2014, Dyer served in various roles, including vice president, at Second Nature. Previously, Dyer was the head of market intelligence for the Institutional Equities Group at LaBranche Financial Services in New York, worked with design-build firms on residential green building projects in Vermont and Colorado, and is certified in Permaculture design.
Dyer is a graduate of The Mountain School of Milton Academy, Phillips Exeter Academy, and Dartmouth College. He holds a MSc in strategic leadership towards sustainability from the Blekinge Institute of Technology in Karlskrona, Sweden, where his thesis research focused on carbon reduction projects under the Kyoto Protocol and EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
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LockedCommonfund Institute is among the nation’s most trusted sources for relevant, useful, and proprietary data, analytics, and best practices in financial management. The Institute provides a wide variety of resources, including conferences, seminars, roundtables, and online learning through Commonfund Institute Online. Insights cover topics such as endowments and governance; proprietary and third-party research such as the Commonfund Benchmark Studies®; publications including the Commonfund Higher Education Price Index® (HEPI); and events such as the annual Commonfund Forum and Investment Stewardship Academy. For more information, visit www.commonfund.org.
Contacts
George Suttles, Executive Director | George.Suttles@commonfund.org | 646-348-9248
Allison Kaspriske, Director | Allison.Kaspriske@commonfund.org | 203-563-5021
Resources
Bank of America has been a leading investment advisor to endowments and foundations for over 160 years. With more than $65 billion under management, our dedicated team of approximately 200 professionals located in offices throughout the United States supports your mission with a comprehensive suite of fiduciary services, including–
Tailored investment services – We build customized investment programs designed to serve as an extension of your staff, supporting your institution’s spending needs. We take into account your income objectives, risk tolerance and liquidity requirements while observing the highest standards of fiduciary responsibility. Investment decisions are made using a total portfolio approach in which the objective is not simply to outperform benchmarks but to help meet a broad spectrum of goals for your institution.
Consulting and advisory support – Fulfilling your institution’s mission goes beyond a successful investment program. Our specialists provide assistance with other important matters that are essential in helping you to meet your goals —governance, Board education and assessment, and fundraising strategies, among others.
Administrative support – We help you to optimize your staff resources and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements by establishing operational protocols and developing and implementing policies and procedures to improve your institution’s administrative efficiency.
Contacts:
Bill Jarvis, Managing Director, Philanthropic Strategy & Delivery Executive, william_jarvis@bofa.com
Bernie Reidy, Managing Director, National Endowment and Foundations Executive, bernard.reidy@bofa.com
Resources
We help higher education institutions, including universities, colleges, and foundations, invest for change. Our research, advice, and customized investment solutions aim to help you achieve your investment outcomes while helping to advance your mission. Our services are flexible and tailored to meet the unique needs of your institution. Visit us online to learn more.
Resources
Higher education: Evolving and advancing through the sector’s challenges – In our two-part series, we explore the complex challenges higher education institutions are currently facing and provide actionable insights to help navigate this evolving landscape.
Top considerations for endowments and foundations 2025 – In this paper, we address four top considerations that E&Fs should keep in mind heading into the new year.
Swing state: investment themes and opportunities in 2025 and beyond – Through the course of this paper, we outline some of the key themes and opportunities we see over the next five years and beyond.
Optimizing operating cash: Effective liquidity management for Endowments & Foundations – We delve into the strategies for managing liquidity to ensure that your organization can meet its operational needs while maximizing potential investment opportunities.
Thoughts about rainy day funds (emergency reserves) – Many E&F’s experienced severe disruptions during the COVID pandemic and their reserves helped keep them afloat until government relief programs kicked in. Explore how we encourage E&Fs to react.
2025 Endowment & Foundation Quarterly Update – Each session will delve into the latest market trends, industry updates, and important topics that impact E&Fs, aiming to ensure you stay informed and prepared for the evolving environment.
Contact
Texas Hemmaplardh, U.S. Endowment & Foundation Leader, 212.345.0713, texas.hammaplardh@mercer.com
Fidelity Institutional offers institutional investors—including endowments, foundations, and retirement plan sponsors,—access to firsthand market knowledge and investment insights from one of the world’s largest proprietary investment research organizations. We also offer a broad and deep set of institutional investment management capabilities across global equities, fixed income, multi-asset class, high income, and alternatives. Visit i.fidelity.com/nonprofits rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> to learn more.
Contacts:
Danielle Frissell, Senior Vice President, Business Development, Danielle.Frissell@fmr.com
Eric Lussen, Senior Vice President, Business Development, Eric.Lussen@fmr.com
Resources
John W. Bristol & Co., Inc. (“JWB”) is a privately owned, independent investment adviser established in 1937 to advise college and university endowment funds and we have been helping clients in the educational field fulfill their missions for the better part of nine decades.
The firm manages equity, fixed income, and balanced accounts totaling approximately $6.7 billion for 108 clients as of December 31, 2024.Based on the NACUBO NSCEE study, our 10-year balanced account results rank in the top quartile of college endowment results for 2024 and have ranked in the top quartile on a 10-year basis for the past 10 years. This top-tier performance begins before your freshman class was born.
Our time-tested process has delivered equity returns superior to the S&P 500 over the past 10 years as well.
Endowments seeking to move into the top quartile should contact us to learn more.
Contact:
Benjamin M. Williams, Managing Director, Client Development, contact@jwbristol.com
Resources
John W. Bristol & Co., Inc. (“JWB”) is a privately owned, independent investment adviser established in 1937 to advise college and university endowment funds and we have been helping clients in the educational field fulfill their missions for the better part of nine decades.
The firm manages equity, fixed income, and balanced accounts totaling approximately $6.7 billion for 108 clients as of December 31, 2024.Based on the NACUBO NSCEE study, our 10-year balanced account results rank in the top quartile of college endowment results for 2024 and have ranked in the top quartile on a 10-year basis for the past 10 years. This top-tier performance begins before your freshman class was born.
Our time-tested process has delivered equity returns superior to the S&P 500 over the past 10 years as well.
Endowments seeking to move into the top quartile should contact us to learn more.
Contact:
Benjamin M. Williams, Managing Director, Client Development, contact@jwbristol.com
