Tag: Devon Francis

Episode 17: 10 Habits of Effective Investment Committees

Episode 17: 10 Habits of Effective Investment Committees

An investment committee member might be doing everything right. But just one wrong move could derail an endowment or foundation from your path to success.

To help prevent this, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis share their list of the 10 Best Investment Committee Practices in this episode. These tactics are extremely powerful and can have a significant impact on the success of your portfolio and your mission. 

You will learn:

  • Qualities that define an ideal investment committee member
  • How to maintain an unwavering focus on your nonprofit’s long-term mission
  • Tips for making your committee meetings more efficient and productive
  • Why you should always remain curious and learn new things
  • And more!

Tune in now to learn effective strategies to improve your investment committees!

Resources: Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | EMAIL the STEWARDS | FREE GUIDE: 6 Tips to Managing Nonprofit Investments | ICreative and Flexible Management Solutions for Today’s Nonprofits

Episode 16: The State of Nonprofit Fundraising and How to Remain Relevant — With Amy Schiffman

Episode 16: The State of Nonprofit Fundraising and How to Remain Relevant — With Amy Schiffman

During the COVID-19 pandemic, most fundraising events have come to a standstill. For many, face-to-face interaction with donors is limited at best.

How can nonprofits adapt to and raise funds in such an environment?

To answer this, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis welcome Amy Schiffman, president and CEO of Evolve Giving Group, to today’s podcast. They discuss how nonprofits can ensure long-term sustainability and viability by cultivating lasting relationships with donors and by working towards a common goal.

You will learn:

  • How to identify the perfect time to ask for a gift
  • Tips for effective virtual fundraising
  • Why how you invest is important to your donors
  • The real reason why people are reluctant to donate to endowment funds
  • And more!

Listen now and learn how you can improve your fundraising approach to sustain and advance your mission!

Resources: Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Amy Schiffman | Evolve Giving Group | Email Evolve

EMAIL the STEWARDS | FREE GUIDE: 6 Tips to Managing Nonprofit Investments | Four Smart Moves for Endowment Investment Committees | GuideStar | Charity Navigator

Episode 15: Hello Fiducient! DiMeo Schneider’s New Name and Other Important Updates — With Mike Goss and Bob DiMeo

Episode 15: Hello Fiducient! DiMeo Schneider’s New Name and Other Important Updates — With Mike Goss and Bob DiMeo

DiMeo Schneider was founded in 1995 and one year ago, combined with Fiduciary Investment Advisors to form one of the largest RIAs in the U.S. 

In this episode, Devon Francis interviews two key members of Fiducient Advisors’ leadership team, Bob DiMeo and Michael Goss. Join them as they reveal the reasons behind rebranding, what changes you should – and should not –  expect, and current efforts to achieve diversity, equity, and inclusion in the organization and the investment community.

You will learn:

  • Why we specifically chose to be “Fiducient Advisors”
  • Which core value propositions remain the same
  • How technology sped up our integration process during the pandemic
  • Why continual growth is important for both the company and its employees
  • And more!

Tune in now for exciting updates on our new brand as well as the long-term vision and goals of Fiducient Advisors!

Resources: Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Michael Goss

EMAIL the STEWARDS | FREE GUIDE: 6 Tips to Managing Nonprofit Investments | Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Investment Management Webcast | Fairview Capital | Ford Foundation | Institutional Investing Diversity Cooperative | The Mom Project

Episode 14: Your Guide To Endowment Spending Policy — With Devon Francis

Episode 14: Your Guide To Endowment Spending Policy — With Devon Francis

As a nonprofit organization, you don’t want to spend too much of your portfolio now, robbing future generations of the benefits of your mission. At the same time, you want to spend enough to have impact today. 

So, how can you find a spending policy that will provide a good balance between the two?

Find out in this episode, as Devon Francis joins Bob DiMeo to share her extensive knowledge on the ins and outs of spending policy. Devon highlights the importance of meaningful spending policies and breaks down ways you can determine the right policy for your charitable organization’s endowment or foundation portfolio. 

In this episode, you will learn:

  • Why nonprofits need a spending policy
  • Different types of spending policies and their benefits and drawbacks
  • How COVID-19 is altering nonprofit spending
  • How to find the right policy for your organization
  • And more!

Tune in now to learn the ins and outs of spending policies and how they can strengthen your charitable organization!

Resources: DiMeo Schneider & Associates L.L.C. | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | EMAIL the STEWARDS | FREE GUIDE: 6 Tips to Managing Nonprofit Investments

Episode 13: Effective Investment Strategies for Healthcare Systems — With Russ Gronewold

Episode 13: Effective Investment Strategies for Healthcare Systems — With Russ Gronewold

Hospitals and healthcare systems contend with a variety of challenges, and the need for effective management of their investment programs remains as important as ever.

Russ Gronewold, CEO of  Bryan Health, joins Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis in this episode to share insight and expertise. Together, they discuss important methods to help investment committees effectively manage a variety of investment pools, ranging from board-designated reserve funds to employee retirement plans.

In this episode, you will learn:

  • Tips on managing short- and long-term investment portfolios
  • The use of alternative and passive investments in hospital portfolios
  • How to incorporate enterprise risk into your investment strategy
  • Liability based pension investing
  • And more!

Tune in now to gain meaningful insight into investment strategies used by healthcare systems!

Resources: DiMeo Schneider & Associates L.L.C. | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Russ Gronewold | Bryan Health | EMAIL the STEWARDS | FREE GUIDE: 6 Tips to Managing Nonprofit Investments

Episode 12: How Associations Manage their Investments — With Ahmed Farruk

Episode 12: How Associations Manage their Investments — With Ahmed Farruk

Do you have a thorough understanding of how associations manage their investments?

If not, get ready for your crash-course in all-things associations in today’s episode with DiMeo Schneider’s Ahmed Farruk!

As DiMeo Schneider’s Washington, D.C. regional director and as a senior consultant, Ahmed has years of experience in working with associations and helping them further their missions. Today, he shares his expertise and knowledge on everything you need to know about associations and their investing practices! 

In this episode, you will learn:

  • The different types of Associations and their investment pools
  • 4 ways associations generate revenue
  • Key differentiators between associations and traditional endowments and foundations
  • How the pandemic has impacted budgets and investments
  • And more!

Join us today to learn about associations and how they manage their investments! 

Resources: DiMeo Schneider & Associates L.L.C. | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Ahmed Farruk | FREE GUIDE: 6 Tips to Managing Nonprofit Investments

Episode 11: How To Hire a Good Investment Consultant — With Brad Alford

Episode 11: How To Hire a Good Investment Consultant — With Brad Alford

When the time comes for your endowment or foundation to hire a new investment consultant, how should you go about the process? 

And how can you stack the odds in your favor to hire an investment consultant who is well-suited for your charitable organization and its mission? 

Find out in this episode, as Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis chat with Alpha Capital Management founder, Brad Alford. Brad shares his expertise and exclusive insight on how he helps nonprofit leaders find the best investment consultant

In this episode, you will learn:

  • Why nonprofit investment committees make use of search firms
  • The primary value endowments and foundations receive from search firms
  • How to find the right investment advisor for your nonprofit
  • How the OCIO indices benefit nonprofit investors
  • And more!

Listen now to discover tips for finding the right investment consultant for your nonprofit! 

Resources: DiMeo Schneider & Associates L.L.C. | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Alpha Capital Management | FREE GUIDE: 6 Tips to Managing Nonprofit Investments

Episode 10: ESG Investing for Stewards: Part 3 — With Kaitlin Bergan

Episode 10: ESG Investing for Stewards: Part 3 — With Kaitlin Bergan

Charitable organizations and endowment funds are at the forefront of the ESG movement.

With increased interest in this investment strategy, how might the ESG landscape evolve?

In this third and final part of their ESG mini-series, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis join BlackRock director Kaitlin Bergan to explore this and more. Kaitlin shares her experience with sustainable investing solutions across asset classes and reveals the trends she sees in mission aligned investing, both today and in the years to come.

In this episode, you will learn:

  • Challenges endowments can face when implementing ESG investing strategies
  • The difference between exclusionary and inclusionary strategies
  • How the U.S. compares to other parts of the world with sustainable investing 
  • The importance of shareholder engagement in mission aligned investing
  • And more!

Tune in today to learn about the forces bringing ESG investing to the forefront of nonprofit and endowment investing!

Resources: ESG Investing for Stewards: Part 1 | ESG Investing for Stewards: Part 2 | DiMeo Schneider & Associates L.L.C. | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Kaitlin Bergan | BlackRock | FREE GUIDE: 6 Tips to Managing Nonprofit Investments 

Episode 9: 2021 Investment Outlook for Endowments & Foundations — with Matt Rice

Episode 9: 2021 Investment Outlook for Endowments & Foundations — with Matt Rice

With a new year and a new environment, now is the perfect time to examine your endowment or foundation’s investment strategy and asset allocation so that you can adapt to ever-changing market conditions!

To help you do this, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis join Matt Rice, the chief investment officer at DiMeo Schneider & Associates, in today’s episode. They talk about their updated capital market assumptions for 2021 and provide several great tips for prudent investing.

In this episode, you will learn:

  • How to deal with elevated investment risk over the coming months
  • How investment committees might address allocation with lower expected returns
  • The use of alternative investments to diversify your endowment or foundation portfolio
  • About growth vs. value investing and active vs. passive investing
  • And more!

Listen now as Bob, Devon, and Matt share valuable insights on what your committee might expect from the markets this year!

Resources: 

DiMeo Schneider & Associates L.L.C. | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Matthew Rice | 2021 Outlook: Poised for Growth | FREE GUIDE: 6 Tips to Managing Nonprofit Investments Request a copy of our 2021 Capital Markets White Paper

Episode 8: ESG Investing for Stewards: Part 2 — with Charles Kuchenbrod

Episode 8: ESG Investing for Stewards: Part 2 — with Charles Kuchenbrod

Get ready to explore a new, unique approach to ESG investing for religious institutions!

In part two of their ESG mini-series, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis join Charles Kuchenbrod, the executive associate conference minister at the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ. 

Charles shares his unique approach to ESG investing and the benefits it brings to the church. He also reveals how consolidated trust funds could serve your nonprofit’s investment program.

In this episode, you will learn:

  • About consolidated trust funds and their purpose
  • The structure of Charles’s investment committee 
  • Common concerns about ESG investing for religious institutions
  • How fund participants and churches reacted to the use of ESG investing
  • And more!

Join Bob, Devon, and Charles now to discover a new ESG investing approach that could benefit your organization and its mission!

Resources: ESG Investing for Stewards: Part 1 | DiMeo Schneider & Associates L.L.C. | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Southern New England Conference United Church of Christ | Connect with Charlie Kuchenbrod on Linkedin | FREE GUIDE: 6 Tips to Managing Nonprofit Investments