The Intentional Endowments Network is the leading network for endowment fiduciaries, senior administrators, CIO’s, and other decision-makers to learn from peers and experts about investing for a thriving, sustainable economy. IEN is a robust network of more than 160 leaders from higher education, as well as other mission-driven, endowed institutions, and their stakeholders, financial industry practitioners and academic experts.
IEN helps endowments find the most strategic, effective, and feasible ways to approach investing in the context of 21st century sustainability challenges. It provides a tangible opportunity to demonstrate leadership in creating a healthy, just and sustainable economy and society.
IEN is a member-driven venue for learning. Fiduciary peers and financial experts share knowledge and resources and explore opportunities for collaboration – all in the interest of helping endowments stay up-to-speed with the complex and dynamic trends related to beneficial investment management. It is not a professional association (designed around a central organization) or a coalition (with a centrally organized campaign). IEN facilitates connections with experts and peers to support administrators and trustees in enhancing their institutions’ approach to sustainable investment and addressing stakeholders’ concerns.
Strategies:
The network undertakes strategic activities in a coordinated way to ensure specific actions are part of a broader context moving all of higher education and society toward sustainability. Activities are mutually supportive of existing ESG/SRI networks and initiatives (such as INCR, PRI, CDP):
Convening key stakeholders: We bring together senior level decision makers and key stakeholders in ‘safe spaces’ for learning from peers and experts.
Knowledge exchange: We create venues for education, knowledge exchange and constructive dialogue to move past persistent barriers to action, e.g., negative perceptions around financial performance, fiduciary duty, etc.
Creating resources and thought leadership: We develop white papers, articles, case studies, and other resources that are practical and accessible to support senior administrators, trustees, and others in creating intentionally designed endowments.
Capacity building: We provide opportunities for building capacity around the broad range of SRI/ESG investing and organizational change leadership through various media (webinars, publications, conference presentations, etc.)
Peer networks and partnerships: We work with and through the many organizations and initiatives that are active in related areas (higher education associations, sustainability organizations, SRI/ESG and traditional investment companies and organizations) to foster collaboration and leverage synergies.
We invite you to join this informative and exciting conversation by becoming a member of the Intentional Endowments Network today. It is a tangible way to demonstrate and advance your leadership in creating a thriving, sustainable economy.
IEN is an initiative of The Crane Institute of Sustainability, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit.
For more on what the Network has accomplished, see IEN's Latest Impact Report.
