Philosophy for Investments
The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County is an affiliate of The Pittsburgh Foundation. All CFWC donor investments are managed through The Pittsburgh Foundation.
It is a core tenet in the management of our investments that markets are, generally speaking, efficient and that portfolio managers should seek to allocate across asset classes with the beliefs that investors are compensated for taking risk, that equity investments are expected to outperform fixed income investments, that illiquid/private equities are expected to outperform liquid/public equities, and that in markets or asset classes where active management cannot reasonably be expected to generate superior net-of-fees performance, passive management is most effective.
The Foundation does not attempt to engage in market timing, due to the unreliable nature of this practice. Instead, we believe that sound risk management is an essential component of any effective investment program with each decision and investment containing an element of risk, including the temptation to take no risk at all. Further, the Foundation seeks to align the investment of its assets with the charitable intent of the donor and the donor’s fund, employing varying degrees of liquidity and risk as appropriate.
The Foundation also seeks to identify and utilize the best practices which have stood the test of time in the best-managed endowments and foundations, including the prudent management of fees and the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To that end the Foundation employs open architecture principles and aspires to work with best-in-class advisors and managers throughout the investment process. Additionally, our investment committee is dedicated to responsible stewardship of your philanthropic assets.