Donor-advised funds are major players in the charity world. These are foundation funds managed by an outside organization (often a community foundation), but the person who donates the money chooses what charities will receive the money. The National Philanthropic Trust reported on the results of these funds last year, and the news was good. Assets… [Read More]
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The Basics of Social Impact Bonds
There’s an interesting new development in the endless search for yield: the Social Impact Bond. The idea is that the bond will finance a charitable program, and the investors will be repaid if the program hits its goals. There’s a lot of talk about it, although very few of these bonds have actually been issued,… [Read More]
Paying for College: The 2012 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments
The annual NACUBO-Commonfund report on college and university endowment values is out. The value of each endowment includes the effect of investment returns, spending, and donations through June 2012, and, on average, it was negative: the average endowment posted a return of -0.3 percent (net of fees) for the year, a decline from the 19.2 average… [Read More]
The Next Best Thing To Being There
Skype beeped, and my son answered. I looked at him and was not impressed. “Put a shirt on,” I said. “You look like some creepy guy who lives at his mother’s house and spends all day online.” “Um, I’m 14, so I have to live at my mother’s house,” he said. “I just woke up.”… [Read More]
The AIMA Road Map to Hedge Funds
The Alternative Investment Management Association, which represents hedge fund managers and operates the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst program, has put together an updated guide to the state of the hedge fund industry. It’s useful information, maybe with a little bias in favor of hedge funds, but still. If you’re looking for something a little current… [Read More]
