About the Endowment

In the years since Northwestern’s founding in 1851, alumni, parents, and friends have generously supported the University’s efforts to provide an unparalleled education for its students and conduct cutting-edge research in a range of important areas. When a gift is designated to the Endowment, Northwestern accepts responsibility for ensuring that these contributions fulfill and sustain their intended purposes in perpetuity.

The Endowment Fund is stewarded by the Investments Committee of the University’s Board of Trustees. Guided by the committee’s policies, the University’s Investment Office invests in a widely diversified pool of assets. For the majority of the investments in the Endowment, the Investment Office employs many of the world’s most successful outside managers for public equities, fixed income, absolute return, private equity, and real asset strategies.

The Investment Office directly manages the remainder of the Fund (about 8 percent) internally, chiefly within the Fixed Income portfolio. The Investment Office is composed of 23 staff members, 12 of whom are investment staff.