Social inequality and the climate crisis are systemic factors that impact society and the value of investment portfolios. Measuring and managing these factors is a part of meeting fiduciary duties in the 21st Century.

The Intentional Endowments Network (IEN) is a peer-learning network that supports institutions in exploring how these topics impact their capital pools, including: endowments at colleges and universities, endowments at foundations and other institutions, and retirement funds.

Join our community of 250+ active member organizations to learn from peers, gain access to exclusive resources, and gauge progress with our assessment and benchmarking tools.

 

Become an IEN Member

Mitigate risk and maximize returns by implementing intentional, rigorous, long-term investment strategies across capital pools.

IEN works globally (with a focus on the U.S. and Canada) to support stakeholders across the financial system (with a focus on endowments & foundations) in addressing financial risk and uncovering investment opportunities.

We advance education and implementation across topics and capital pools through the following core strategies:

Peer Learning

Resources

Assessment &
Benchmarking

 

 

IEN is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace and culture that embraces individual differences and creates equal opportunity.

We recognize that diversity enhances organizational innovation and effectiveness. We are strategic about not discriminating against any group, regardless of cognitive, demographic, and other dimensions of diversity. We reject the zero-sum paradigm, defined as "the idea that progress for some of us must come at the expense of others," and recognize the benefits we gain when people come together to accomplish what we simply can't do on our own.

Read more about IEN's Culture of Inclusivity.

Endowments have a unique opportunity where doing the right thing for the climate – reducing their exposure to stranded carbon asset risk, and investing solutions – is also the smart thing for their investment portfolios.

– Bob Litterman

Chair, Risk Committee
Kepos Capital LP

Events & Webinars

NAIC Roadshow

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2025 IEN Virtual Spring Forum

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2025 IEN Fall Forum

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NAIC's Amplifying Alts Forum

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Past IEN Events

For more information on past IEN events, click here.


Emerging Managers Summit

Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead, Atlanta, GA

Learn more and register here.


Reuters Events - Sustainability USA 2024

New York

Learn more and register here


AASHE 2024 Conference & Expo

Anaheim Marriott in Anaheim, CA

Learn more and register here


Past IEN Webinars

We maintain an archive of over 80 past IEN webinars, available to IEN members here.


Blog

IEN at the 2025 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summi...

From February 2-4, the Intentional Endowments Network (IEN) joined over 350 leaders in higher education, sustainable investing, and community engagement at the 2025 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit. Held in Washington, D.C., this year’s convening underscored the urgent need for endowments to advance sustainable and impact investing strategies, ensure long-term institutional financial sustainability, and continue to address systemic risk despite current political headwinds.

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The Sierra Club Foundation Achieves A Platinum Rating Thr...

The Oakland-based foundation is recognized for its commitment to sustainable and impact investing following a third-party verification process.

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The SK2 Fund Receives a Gold Rating Through the Intention...

The Colorado-based foundation achieved Gold rating through sustainable and impact investing assessment framework, developed by the Intentional Endowments Network.

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