Leading by Example
The list of Investment Priorities Leaders is comprised of 43 schools that earned "A" grades in this category. Below is a sample of 10 very different institutions that all qualified for the list. These summaries are based on data from each school’s profile page.
Brown University has created a social choice donor option that considers environmental/sustainability investment factors.
Duke University is currently invested in renewable energy and community development loan funds. In 2006, the university announced a $5 million investment in the Latino Community Credit Union based in Durham, North Carolina. This investment is in addition to an initial investment of $400,000, which made Duke one of the credit union’s first and largest investors.
The Georgia Institute of Technology has made several investments in alternative energy, most of which are in venture capital funds.
Grinnell College selects investments and investment managers whose conduct is consistent with the core values of the college. The college is currently invested in renewable energy investment funds or similar investment vehicles as well as in community development organizations.
Since 2001, Oberlin College has offered two Calvert funds that take into account environmental and social factors as alternative investment vehicles for donors making leadership gifts.
The Rockefeller University invests with a number of external managers with initiatives in green and/or clean energy technology.
The University of Utah makes a TIAA-CREF managed social/environmental investment available to donors.
The University of Washington is currently invested in renewable energy funds and energy-conscious real estate funds. The investment policies follow a set of ethical considerations, which state that due consideration shall be given to the degree of corporate responsibility exercised by the companies in which investments are made.
Washington University in St. Louis is invested with managers whose mandates include renewable energy, and has also invested in and loaned funds to others in order to invest in real estate for neighborhood revitalization in several local areas.
Williams College is invested in community development financial institutions or loan funds. Additionally, the college is exploring renewable energy investment funds or similar investment vehicles. The Williams Social Choice Fund allows individuals to direct donations to a special endowment fund that screens investments based on environmental and social criteria.
Duke University is currently invested in renewable energy and community development loan funds. In 2006, the university announced a $5 million investment in the Latino Community Credit Union based in Durham, North Carolina.