Investment Options

Grow your funds, grow your impact

One of the benefits of partnering with Foundation for the Carolinas for your charitable funds is having access to a range of sophisticated investment options to help ensure maximum community impact over time. As a community foundation with more than $5 billion in assets, we can offer a variety of strategies to match your objectives, time horizon and risk tolerance.

Our investment philosophy is based on the belief that the most important investment decision is the asset allocation decision. Our approach to asset allocation is based on developing the appropriate mix of investments that address a portfolio's long-term growth while maintaining an acceptable level of risk and protection against inflation.

Our platform is managed by the collaboration of our Investment Committee, Investment Consultant and internal staff experts.

FFTC investment performance Quarterly investment update

Investment Committee

Our offerings are strengthened by the expertise of our Investment Committee, appointed by FFTC’s Board of Directors and comprised of veteran investors and experienced business leaders. The Investment Committee determines asset allocation and monitors market performance with the goal of achieving a return commensurate with the risk of the particular investment portfolio and manager strategy.

Current Committee Members

Bill Martin, Chair, Nuveen (retired)
Michael Fischer, CFA®, Bank of America Private Bank (retired)
Rhondale Haywood, Truist
Meredith Heimburger, Global Endowment Management
Kelly Katterhagen, BlackArch Partners (retired)
Marina Mavrakis, TIAA (retired)

Investment Consultant

FFTC retains an Investment Consultant, currently Mercer LLC, specializing in institutional funds management to help guide the Investment Committee. The Investment Committee has delegated the responsibility for selecting, monitoring and terminating investment managers. Mercer is also responsible for reviewing and reporting investment performance across all FFTC standard pools to ensure long-term performance achieves the investment objectives of the different strategies. The consultant also provides support and recommendations concerning capital market conditions, asset allocation and portfolio risk. Mercer is a fiduciary with respect to its investment advisory relationship with FFTC.

Anticipated distribution horizon

Standard pools

Liquid Reserves

The Liquid Reserves Pool is invested in the Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund. The fund seeks as high a level of current income as is consistent with liquidity and stability of principal. TempFund invests in a broad range of U.S. dollar denominated money market instruments.

Low Duration Fixed Income

The Low Duration Fixed Income Pool is a low-volatility strategy with an objective to preserve capital while generating income. Investments include a variety of fixed income instruments with maturities generally less than five years – approximately three years on average.

Income & Growth

The Income & Growth Pool is designed to yield consistent income and dividends while also achieving moderate capital appreciation. The portfolio is allocated 60% fixed income and 40% equity. The equity allocation includes domestic, international developed and emerging market large and small cap equity securities. The fixed income allocation includes short and medium term fixed income securities with an aggregate maturity of six years.

Active Long-Term Growth

The Active Long-Term Growth Pool seeks long-term capital appreciation without exposure to hedge funds or private equity. Up to 75% of its assets are invested in broad domestic and international large and small-cap stocks in developed and emerging markets. The remaining assets are allocated to fixed income (25%).

ESG Long-Term Growth

The ESG Long-Term Growth Pool has a similar risk and return profile as our existing Active Long-Term Growth pool and will continue to be a diversified portfolio across major global equity markets, with a modest allocation to fixed income. The key difference will be the use of active investment managers who incorporate ESG factors – such as climate change, air quality, labor practices, diversity & inclusion, and shareholder rights – into their selection process. This portfolio measures favorably across all 17 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals when compared against its passive benchmark. These 17 goals are designed to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This option may be appealing to fundholders who wish to ensure their investment strategy aligns with internationally recognized Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards.

Passive Long-Term Growth

The Passive Long-Term Growth Pool offers a well-diversified investment option using low-cost Exchange Traded Funds. The ETFs provide 75% exposure to global equity markets and 25% exposure to U.S. Fixed Income markets.

Diversified Long-Term Growth

The Diversified Long-Term Growth Pool is the model endowment portfolio recommended by FFTC's Investment Committee for donors with long-term investment horizons. This portfolio is broadly diversified, offering domestic and international market exposure while investing in large cap and small cap securities in developed countries and emerging markets. The allocation includes alternative investments, hedge funds and private equity investments to improve the overall risk/return profile of the portfolio. Due to the illiquid nature of some of the alternative investments, there are liquidity restrictions that will apply on these funds which may affect timing of grant requests. Restrictions on withdrawals apply depending upon the fund balance as follows: less than $1M - available within 90 days; $1M-$5M - 80% available within 90 days, remainder within one year; and greater than $5M - please contact your relationship manager.

View all pools

Additional options for large funds

Custom pools

Foundation for the Carolinas offers a variety of standard investment pools for funds under management that span the risk-return spectrum from conservative allocations to more growth-oriented investment pools. Funds in excess of $2 million may be eligible for custom investment allocations.

Alliance manager program

This program allows donors with a minimum fund balance greater than $250,000 to use an approved investment advisory firm to manage their donor advised fund in lieu of selecting one of FFTC's Standard Investment Pools. The FFTC Investment Committee must review and approve all investment alliance managers. The Alliance Manager Program's Investment Policy Statement outlines investment guidelines and policies, including quarterly reporting requirements and annual portfolio reviews with FFTC staff.

Agency fund investment recommendation form

One of the benefits of opening a fund with FFTC is the ability to invest charitable dollars with the opportunity to grow for future impact.

Gift fund investment recommendation form

One of the benefits of opening a fund with FFTC is the ability to invest charitable dollars with the opportunity to grow for future impact.

Performance Report

See how our funds have performed relative to benchmarks.

Quarterly investment letter

Our Director of Investments shares insights and analysis of the markets and their effects on FFTC's investment pool performance.

Foundation for the Carolinas does not provide tax, legal or investment advice. The information contained here is general in nature and is not intended to be a substitute for consulting your legal, tax or investment advisor regarding your particular situation. Any performance data is based on past performance and is no guarantee of future results.

Our investment team is comprised of professionals with a combined 40+ years of experience, who monitor all aspects of FFTC's investment portfolio.

Contact us

Natalie Wolf, CIMA®

Vice President & Director, Investments

Stephen Berard

Assistant Vice President, Investments

Bobby Chambers Lord