Trustees are responsible for the stewardship of assets and for implementing the mission of their endowment or foundation. Almost invariably trustees delegate the management of those assets to agents who are investment professionals. In this increasingly sophisticated and litigious financial world there can be a growing gap of comprehension, exacerbated by mathematics and jargon, between trustees who are responsible and agents who are accountable. This book aims to fill that gap. The book draws on the author's own experience and research and that of generations of investment professionals and academics to explain the fundamentals of investment strategy. Key features are therefore: Foreword by George Keane (founder and former president of Commonfund, won the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award from Foundation & Endowment Money Management) one of the icons of endowment fund management in the US Aimed at professional trustees An holistic approach to strategy Avoidance of jargon and mathematics Focus on principles underlying asset strategy

Crucial methods, tactics and tools for successful pension fund management Achieving Investment Excellence offers trustees and asset managers a comprehensive handbook for improving the quality of their investments. With a stated goal of substantially and sustainably improving annual returns, this book clarifies and demystifies important concepts surrounding trustee duties and responsibilities, investment strategies, analysis, evaluation and much more. Low interest rates are making the high cost of future pension payouts fraught with tension, even as the time and knowledge required to manage these funds appropriately increases — it is no wonder that pensions are increasingly seen as a financial liability. Now more than ever, it is critical that trustees understand exactly what contributes to investment success — and what detracts from it. This book details the roles, the tools and the strategies that make pension funds pay off. Understand the role of pension funds and the fiduciary duty of trustees Learn the tools and kills you need to build profound and lasting investment excellence Analyse, diagnose and improve investment quality of funds using concrete tools and instruments Study illustrative examples that demonstrate critical implementation and execution advice Packed with expert insight, crucial tools and real-life examples, this book is an important resource for those tasked with governing these. Achieving Investment Excellence provides the expert insight, clear guidance and key wisdom you need to manage these funds successfully.

"This excellent and thorough guide to asset management for foundations and endowments of $1 billion or less can help your foundation or endowment achieve these goals. The result? More money for your foundation's objectives - and more assurance that, in all market conditions, those objectives will continue to be funded." "This expert-authored guidebook gives you step-by-step directions for putting to work asset allocation methods appropriate for foundations and endowments. It tells you how to take full advantage of state-of-the-art financial techniques currently being used by multibillion dollar foundations. It shows you how your foundation or endowment assets can be managed for maximization of both capital growth and income return."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

An informative guide to selecting and evaluating external investment professionals This book-one of the very few of its kind-is an invaluable aid to trustees of pension plans, endowments, and trusts who seek to chart and navigate courses for governing and overseeing the investment of the trillions of dollars under their care. It covers many aspects of this essential endeavor, including return measures, fixed income and duration, manager searches, committee meetings, and much more. G. Timothy Haight (Atherton, CA) is President of Menlo College in Silicon Valley. Stephen O. Morrell, PhD (Coral Springs, FL) is Professor at Andreas School of Business of Barry University. Glenn Ross (Baltimore, MD) is a Managing Director and cofounder of Archstone Portfolio Solutions.

In the years since the now-classic Pioneering Portfolio Management was first published, the global investment landscape has changed dramatically -- but the results of David Swensen's investment strategy for the Yale University endowment have remained as impressive as ever. Year after year, Yale's portfolio has trumped the marketplace by a wide margin, and, with over $20 billion added to the endowment under his twenty-three-year tenure, Swensen has contributed more to Yale's finances than anyone ever has to any university in the country. What may have seemed like one among many success stories in the era before the Internet bubble burst emerges now as a completely unprecedented institutional investment achievement. In this fully revised and updated edition, Swensen, author of the bestselling personal finance guide Unconventional Success, describes the investment process that underpins Yale's endowment. He provides lucid and penetrating insight into the world of institutional funds management, illuminating topics ranging from asset-allocation structures to active fund management. Swensen employs an array of vivid real-world examples, many drawn from his own formidable experience, to address critical concepts such as handling risk, selecting advisors, and weathering market pitfalls. Swensen offers clear and incisive advice, especially when describing a counterintuitive path. Conventional investing too often leads to buying high and selling low. Trust is more important than flash-in-the-pan success. Expertise, fortitude, and the long view produce positive results where gimmicks and trend following do not. The original Pioneering Portfolio Management outlined a commonsense template for structuring a well-diversified equity-oriented portfolio. This new edition provides fund managers and students of the market an up-to-date guide for actively managed investment portfolios.

In Foundation and Endowment Investing, authors Lawrence Kochard and Cathleen Rittereiser offer you a detailed look at this fascinating world and the strategies used to achieve success within it. Filled with in-depth insights and expert advice, this reliable resource profiles twelve of the most accomplished Chief Investment Officers within today’s foundation and endowment community—chronicling their experiences, investment philosophies, and the challenges they face—and shares important lessons that can be used as you go about your own investment endeavors.

This is a non-technical primer about the risk management process for endowments, foundations and pension funds. The book goes beyond coverage of the risk-return characteristics of derivative instruments to provide decision-makers with practical information.

Second Edition

More than 80% of the financial assets in the United States fall under the purview of a trustee. That's a big responsibility for an estimated 1% (around 1.5 million people) of the U.S. working population charged with overseeing investments for millions and millions of beneficiaries, public sector, and non-profit organizations. In a world proliferated by investment products, increasingly dominated by indexes, faced—particularly in the pension world—with increasing liabilities, more regulation, and a growing number of social and sustainability objectives, what's a trustee to do? The Trustee Governance Guide is here to help guide today’s board trustee through the brave new world of 21st century investing. The book focuses on the critical aspects of the Five Imperatives: Governance, Knowledge, Diversification, Discipline, and Impact. Based on more than a decade of research, practice, and discussions with many key decision makers and influencers across the industry, this book addresses the many topics related to better governance, greater mission-driven financial performance, and impact. The questions the book addresses include: · What is good governance, how do we know it when we see it, and why does it matter? · How much knowledge is necessary to be a competent board member? · How big should my endowment be? · What are the key elements of a diversified portfolio? · How much does cost matter? · What's the difference between socially responsible and ESG investing? · Can I focus on sustainability and still be a good fiduciary? This book provides a way for boards to improve and benchmark their own governance performance alongside their peers, and uniquely covers related investment topics in each chapter.

Praise for Endowment Building "This comprehensive work shows how endowments can provide multiple opportunities for donor involvement when the solicitation program is well designed and integrated with other fund development and program goals. Emphasizing the critical ethical issues inherent in marketing and structuring endowment gifts, it is an excellent reference manual and training guide." --Joanne Scanlan, PhD, Senior Vice President for Professional Development Council on Foundations, Washington, D.C. "Endowment Building provides both practical, hands-on advice and a philosophical, inspirational framework to guide novice and experienced mission-based organizations. Given the demographic opportunities and challenges facing the nonprofit world, this book is a must-read." --Nancy Herrold Strapp, Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer Buckhorn Children & Family Services, Louisville, Kentucky "A comprehensive guide on how to start, grow, and maintain an endowment. It shows how to put theory into practice with numerous real-life examples and success stories." --Joe Bull, Director of Planned Giving, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio "After you read this book, you will know what to do and how to do it. It is a wonderful tool for new and emerging community foundations!" --Kay M. Marquet, President and CEO, Community Foundation Sonoma County, California "Endowment Building is an insightful, succinct, easy-to-read resource on building successful endowment programs. It's a well-organized guide containing practical suggestions and reminders of things development professionals know but some-times forget." --Jeff W. Smith, Vice President and Trust Counsel, Baptist Foundation of Texas, Dallas