Non-Profits – Are You Planning for the Next 100 Years?


By SJS President Kevin Kelly, CFA

Despite all the complicated rhetoric about business and finance and strategy and methods, by doing the basics as a finance chair or board of directors, you stand a good chance of creating an endowment that lasts many years –  perhaps forever.

The fact is that responsible governance is less about the newest trends in leadership and investing, and more about being responsible and calm no matter what the markets are doing.

We’ve been guiding and advising non-profits for decades through up and down market cycles, and experience tells us that these things work:

Develop a long-term plan and stick to your investment strategy.

We can help. Many institutions have turned to us for guidance, and we can share what we believe are the best strategies, and help you model those strategies within your organization. Then we do what we do best – which is keeping you focused during markets ups and downs.

Institutionalize the vision and the plan. 

You know there will be investment committee changes and asset reallocation required. There will be spending policy changes and leadership turnover. Every change need not be a new direction, if you make the vision and the plan the guiding force of the organization.

Surround yourself with experience. 

You don’t have to know everything. You just have to know people who know a lot about the different aspects of your responsibilities. When you bring all those people together, you tend to set yourself and your organization up for success. We are often part of that team. Call us, and we’ll share with you everything we know. We’ll also recommend others who are just as knowledgeable and giving.

You probably guessed that your role is not a solo act – it is a team sport.

By building a great team, you stand the best chance of keeping your cause funded for decades – if not centuries – to come.


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