About the University of Nevada, Reno Foundation - Asset Management

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of the University of Nevada, Reno Foundation, which was established to attract philanthropy to the University of Nevada, Reno. In the past 30 years, the Foundation has raised more than $447 million in private gifts.

The Foundation’s pooled endowment total stood at more than $109 million as of June 30, 2011, compared to the total at June 30, 2010, of $ 87.2 million. This year, the endowment has provided more than $2.7 million to help finance vital activities including undergraduate student scholarships, professorships and chairs, graduate fellowships, library acquisitions, academic programs, building maintenance and research.

The University of Nevada, Reno Foundation endowment includes more than 700 named endowment accounts. The endowment funds are responsibly managed by the Investment Committee of the Foundation, which receives independent professional investment advice from Wilshire Consulting (see included the Economic Update report from Wilshire Consulting).

As of June 30, 2011, the funds were invested at the ratio of 42.6% in equities, 21.3% in fixed income, 23.8% in real estate and alternative investments, and 12.3% in cash awaiting investment. The goal of this allocation is to produce a return that meets spending obligations and maintains or increases the real value of the endowment.

For the 12-month reporting period of June 30, 2010 through June 30, 2011, the Foundation had a net return of 19.60% compared to the S&P 500 Equity Index at 30.69% the MSCI All Country World ex-U.S. Equity Index of 29.13% and the Barclays Aggregate Bond Index at 3.90% for the same period of time.

As of June 30, 2011, the Foundation’s three- and five-year overall average rate of returns for the endowment, net of fees, were 2.33% and 4.48% respectively.

The Foundation’s policy is administered in accordance with the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA), the provisions of which are set forth in Chapter 164.64 of the Nevada Revised Statutes. The Foundation’s Investment Policy and its Underwater Accounts spending policy can be found on the University’s website at: http://giving.unr.edu/foundation.aspx.