Influence your college, university, or seminary!
We are here to help you engage with the communities you are part of to encourage them towards faith-based investing.
Our Endowments Campaign aims to increase the awareness and adoption of faith-based investing practices by Christian college, university, and seminaries in the management of their endowments.
Upon completing your details in the form at right, we will provide you with a completed template email and letter that you can send to a college, university, or seminary.
Alternatively, you may wish to use the text below if you wish to directly contact the institution yourself.
Dear [title],
My name is [name ] and I am a [student / parent / alumni] of [college name], and I am writing to ask about the way that the [university name] endowment is managed.
As I have come to understand more about the intersection of faith and investing, I am persuaded that it is important for faith-based educational institutions to invest in ways that reflect stewardship. In my view, this requires both an excellent approach to investment design and an excellent approach to faith integration in the endowment portfolio of any Christian educational institution. The way that [college name] integrates its faith into each aspect of education and campus life is a key factor in what I value about being part of this community.
Research published recently by Brightlight indicates that faith-based approaches to investing deliver similar results to non faith-based approaches in the public markets. The research demonstrates that it is possible to deliver excellence in investment management through faith-aligned approaches, with over 150 mutual funds and ETFs available, and many more separately-managed strategies that can be used by large institutions. The report also highlights that many leading fund managers have moved well beyond simple negative screens to adopt a range of positive and proactive approaches to faith integration.
Groups like Faith Driven Investor have highlighted the significant breadth of products available in every asset class across both public and private markets, and their recent video is, in my view, a timely call to believers, the Church, and Christian institutions, to reconsider the way that their portfolios are invested.
As a stakeholder, I am keenly interested in this topic, and would like to ask:
How does the endowment reflect the institution’s responsibility to steward assets well in terms of both investment excellence and faithfulness to Christ?
What strategies does the institution have in place to reflect Christian values in the investment portfolio of the endowment?
When did the Investment Committee of the institution most recently discuss the role of faith-based investing for the investment portfolio?
Does the institution have a policy in relation to integration of faith or values into the investment portfolio and, if so, is that policy publicly available?
How is input from students, parents, alumni and leaders in distinctively Christian approaches to investing integrated into decision-making for the endowment?
Do any of the advisors and external fund managers that the institution uses have alignment to the Christian faith or, at least, a willingness to invest in ways that do not compromise the Christian faith?
Is the institution currently using any of the following strategies to reflect the values of the institution and its stakeholders in the investment portfolio?
Negative screening of companies involved in particular industries or behaviors that violate Christian conscience or values?
Exercising proxy votes in a way that is consistent with Christian values?
Advocacy with corporations to advance behavior that reflects the dignity of all people?
Inclusion of investments that specifically seek to achieve positive spiritual or social impact in ways that are aligned with Christian values?
I consider it an honor to be involved with [college name], and thank you for your time in considering this.
Yours sincerely,
[Signature & Name]