Endowments & Foundations

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Increasing organizations’ impact

A key priority for leaders is to build assets and increase their organization’s impact.  The TIAA Institute supports the sector’s efforts through our focus on foundation and endowment performance and impact. 

TIAA Institute Reports

Original research produced by the TIAA Institute—both independently and in collaboration with noted scholars—examines topics of interest to the academic, nonprofit and public sectors. The reports combine statistical findings with thoughtful, data-driven observations and conclusions to provide in-depth analyses that are informative and appropriate for both technical and general audiences.

Demystifying Endowments
June 2009

Endowments are stocks of financial and real assets held by colleges and universities to generate income for current and future operations. Donors often place specific restrictions on the use of their gifts.

Highlights of 2004 NACUBO Endowment Study
March 2005

Traditional U.S. and international equities performed well and domestic bonds performed poorly in fiscal 2004, thus rewarding college and university endowments with large allocations to the former and small allocations to the latter.

2005 NACUBO Endowment Forum: Managers Find Pickings
March 2005

Investment managers at the 2005 NACUBO Endowment Forum appeared grateful for the strong equity returns in fiscal 2004, but expressed little hope for a continuation of stellar performance going forward. Pundits said that U.S.

Highlights of the 2003 NACUBO Endowment Study
February 2004

NACUBO is the National Association of College and University Business Officers, representing chief administrative and financial officers at more than 2,100 colleges and universities across the country.