ELS26: Rethinking Endowment Liquidity in a Changing-Rate Environment

Live Event: 02/26/2026 at 2:00 PM (EST)

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With yields starting to come down, “safe” assets may no longer be safe for your endowment’s long-term health. The endowment can be better source of support for schools if liquidity is managed properly and with an eye toward long-term growth. This session challenges CFOs to rethink the role of cash and bonds, quantify the opportunity cost of excess liquidity, and explore the value of incorporating illiquid assets strategically. Participants will leave with actionable tools to assess how much liquidity is too much—and how to strike the right balance between stability today and sustainability tomorrow.  

Recording

This webinar will be recorded. Registrants will receive an email when the recording is available.

CPE Available: 1 Credit in Finance

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: Finance
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 February 27, 2026, 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.

John Griffith

Director, Endowment Management

Hirtle Callaghan

John Griffith is a director at Hirtle Callaghan and serves as the firm’s endowment specialist. He has over 28 years of nonprofit experience. Griffith leads the firm’s holistic planning process for institutions, working closely with investment committees to design customized investment programs that are fully aligned with their goals and risk tolerance. He also works directly with endowments on specific, client-driven projects. These projects help committees tackle key strategic issues, including spending policy, liquidity policy, debt ratios and covenants, capital campaigns, operating reserves and governance. From 2003 until 2014, he was the chief financial officer and treasurer of Bryn Mawr College before joining Hirtle Callaghan. Prior to Bryn Mawr, Griffith spent 15 years in various financial roles at the University of New Hampshire. Griffith started his career at Coopers & Lybrand.

Griffith earned a master's in finance from Bentley University and a bachelor's in business administration from the University of New Hampshire.