The Importance and Value of Manager Due Diligence

Where do you see opportunities to have an impact in the later stages of due diligence?  While understanding fees, arrangements with third-party service providers, and alignment of interests are...

Part II: Strategy and Tactics for Endowments’ and Foundations’ Annual Draw

In Part I of Strategy and Tactics for Endowments’ and Foundations’ Annual Draw, Institutional Advisory Practice, Chief Investment Officer, Pier Friend introduces considerations and practices that institutional boards and...

DEI Considerations for Institutions – Audio Recording, Craig Jones, Cassidy Orr

Are you part of an institution looking to learn more about incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) objectives into investments? Is the organization seeking alignment between its investments and...

Part I: Strategy and Tactics for Endowments’ and Foundations’ Annual Draw

In what way(s) do endowments and foundations think about their annual draw differently? Endowments and foundations will have different approaches to how they think about their annual draw. Private...

The Importance of a Manager Evaluation Framework

What are the primary principles one should incorporate into an investment manager evaluation framework? Trust, integrity, alignment, and success. While these principles set a high bar for investment managers/firms...

Being Deliberate in Developing DEI Manager Sourcing Channels

What does the process of including diverse managers in an investment portfolio entail? Cassidy Orr: Clients overseeing pools of capital have a responsibility to support the mission of the...

Benefits of Working with an OCIO- Webinar Recording

The Colony Group’s Institutional Advisory Practice President, Andrew Vogelstein, and Senior Investment Advisor, Lisa Longest, discuss the outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) model, its benefits, and how to know...

Why An OCIO Could Be the Right Fit For Your Institution

What is an Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (‘OCIO’)? An OCIO provides the services of a full-time, in-house investment office and is responsible for the management, oversight, and administration of...

How and When to Use a Benchmark

What purpose do benchmarks serve?  Benchmarks can help provide institutions with a framework for achieving successful long-term investment results. Once risk and return objectives have been codified, a system...

How to Think About Managing & Balancing Liquidity in Portfolios

Can you discuss “liquidity” in the context of investing? For simplicity, the primary variables in considering the liquidity of an asset are time, price, and volatility. Time and price...

Ensuring a Successful Family Legacy

The goal of this paper is to help you structure a successful and enduring legacy.  Ensuring a Successful Family Legacy will frame the issues around your legacy, enable you...

Red Flags and Disqualifying Characteristics In Manager Research

What single quality is most important in your investment manager research process? Integrity is paramount and must be present throughout a manager’s entire organization. Our assessment of integrity emerges...

Legacy Series: Threshold Questions For Familes

The goal of this paper is to help you get structured for investment success. This requires asking the right questions and prioritizing your objectives. Threshold Questions will help you...

Incorporating Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in an Investment Policy

Why should you consider including diversity, equity, and inclusion (‘DEI’) in your investment policy statement (‘IPS’)? Doing so ensures that the institution’s DEI objectives remain priorities, even in times...

Thoughts on Philanthropy

What options are currently available to me to leverage my philanthropic goals? Rob Inches: The nine most common opportunities are, 1) Traditional Philanthropy – support for all good causes,...

How can a nonprofit board improve financial outcomes?

In an economy in which governmental spending is increasingly strained, nonprofit organizations are forced to play a larger role in serving the greater good. Driven by boards that are...

How Might You Handle Investment Decisions as a Non-Profit Board Member?

As a volunteer for your non-profit, you are passionate about its mission.  You have seen the good it does in your community. Six years ago, you joined the investment...