Study: Wilshire TUCS Plans Bounce Back From Dismal 2008

(January 18, 2010) – Bouncing back from a lackluster 2008, the year-to-date median performance of foundations and endowments hit 19.02%, outpacing other asset owners, while public funds returned 17.22% year-to-date.

Wilshire TUCS’ November data improved sharply from its previous month’s numbers, when all categories had median investment losses. The rebound shows gains by institutional investors.

The following percentages are the latest results from the Wilshire TUCS, which has 1,300 plans, 12,000 active portfolios, and more than $3 trillion in sponsor assets.TUCS represents the industry’s largest database of any peer-comparison service.

Year-to-Date Return
Foundations and endowments: 19.02%
Corporate plans: 18.47%
Public funds with assets more than $1 billion: 17.96%
All public funds: 17.22%
Taft-Hartley defined benefit plans: 12.32%.

For the first 11 months of 2009, large differences in fund results in the Wilshire Associates Trust Universe Comparison Service reflect differing allocations in real estate. While corporate funds, for example, returned 18.47% year-to-date with 8.22% in real estate, Taft-Hartley funds returned 12.32%, with a zero allocation to the asset class, said Hilarie Green of Wilshire Analytics, according to Pensions & Investments. Median Returns for November
Corporate funds: 3.05%
Public funds: 3%
Public funds with more than $1 billion in assets: 2.98%
Foundations and endowments: 2.95%
Taft-Hartley pension funds: 2.83%

To contact the <em>aiCIO</em> editor of this story: Paula Vasan at <a href='mailto:pvasan@assetinternational.com'>pvasan@assetinternational.com</a>; 646-308-2742

(January 15, 2010) — US foundations are awarding a rising number of grants to ameliorate the effects of global warming and climate change. Such funds have invested a total of $1.9 billion in the cause over the past 10 years, according to a new study by The Foundation Center.

According to the report, the number of climate change-related grants, which cover everything from emissions reduction to the role of rain forests, doubled from 2000 to more than $850 million in 2008, spurred by “heightened awareness of an impending climate crisis.” A majority of climate-change grants targeted activities in the US.

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While philanthropic efforts to address climate change have been rising, only a small percentage of the largest funders still account for a majority of the support. The top 25 climate change grant makers in 2008 provided 90% of funding, the report said. The California-based William and Flora Hewlett Foundation led the pack, donating nearly $549 million in 2008. Other top funders included the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Ford Foundation.

The Foundation Center, established in 1956, is supported by nearly 550 foundations. It operates research, education, and training programs to advance knowledge of philanthropy.