Financial and investment stewardship
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation is the third largest community foundation in Connecticut with total assets of $231 million. In 2008, the Fairfield County Community Foundation merged with the Greater Bridgeport Area Foundation. Our combined history includes over $220 million in grantmaking to nonprofits in Fairfield County and beyond.
Investment returns
During the year ended December, 2017, assets increased by 18.9% net of fees. The Foundation’s endowment portfolio outperformed our policy benchmark by 2.3%, and was ranked in the top decile of foundations and endowments in our peer group.
The Community Foundation engages NEPC (New England Pension Consultants) to provide independent investment consulting advice to the Investment Committee, monitor investments and make recommendations for changes. Our long-term investment pool is diversified across equities, fixed, opportunistic, hedged and private investments to provide strong investment results during positive and negative market periods. Investment portfolio returns over the past 10 years have exceeded our policy benchmarks by 1%.
Download
- Investment Performance and Asset Allocation Summary, December, 2017 [pdf]
- Investment Performance and Asset Allocation Summary, December 2016 [pdf]
- Investment Performance and Asset Allocation Summary, December 2015 [pdf]
Investment committee
Each fund established at the Community Foundation reflects a donor’s trust in our ability to invest resources wisely.
The investment committee is responsible for determining the broad allocation of Community Foundation assets among various asset classes, the design of the investment structure for each asset class, the retention of investment managers and other professionals, and the monitoring of investment results.
Investment Committee Members
- John Bailey, Chair, Spruce Private Investors
- Kieran Cavanna, Old Farm Partners
- Steve Edwards, CFA, Morgan Stanley
- Charles W.K. Haberstroh, CastleKeep Investment Advisors
- Craig Henrich, KSL Capital Partners
- John Suhler, Veronis Suhler Stevenson
When you establish a fund at the Community Foundation, you may elect from the following investment options:
- The Long Term Investment Pool
- The Money Market Pool
- The Balanced Index Fund
- The Investment Advisor Program
Links
Finance committee
The Community Foundation employs financial controls across our financial and accounting operations to ensure that contributed funds are managed and protected. A Finance Committee of the board oversees Foundation budgets, activities and financial planning.
Finance Committee Members:
- Ed Ford, Chair
- Bob Eydt
- Clay Fowler
- Don Kendall
- Suzette Recinos
Audit committee
The Community Foundation’s audit committee oversees the annual audit and tax filings, and monitors accounting policies and practices. The chair of the audit committee oversees our Whistleblower Policy.
Audit Committee Members
- Bob Eydt, Chair
- Ralph DePanfilis, CPA
- Ed Ford
- Michelle Garvey
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