About

Asset Management Framework

The Gambrell Foundation’s proprietary investment framework is portrayed in the accompanying diagram, representing how we view the foundation’s portfolio and categorize the different types of investment holdings. Our holistic approach, coupled with thoughtful portfolio construction, supports the foundation’s primary investment objective of Growth & Income. The foundation’s investment strategy has evolved over time and will continue to be fine-tuned to ensure the portfolio’s continual support of the foundation’s mission.

Market-Rate Investments
Classic Investments
(Financial Return Only)
Holdings, including Cash, Fixed Income, Equity, Alternatives, Private Investments, etc., that are neither against nor necessarily aligned with the values of the Foundation.
Values-Aligned Investments
(Financial & Non-Financial Returns)
Investments in companies that maintain sound business practices, but whose primary purpose is not necessarily to target social or environmental issues. For example, Clorox Company’s focus is manufacturing bleach products; however, it is one of America’s greenest companies, publishing goals on greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, phasing out controversial substances, and adding lines of natural products like Burt’s Bees.
Go further than SRI/ESG by investing in companies whose primary purpose is to address the world’s biggest issues. For example, ltron is a publicly-traded American technology company offering innovative products and services focused on energy and water in order to create more insightful utilities, smarter cities and a more resourceful world.
Go again one step further by investing in companies whose undertakings are principally aligned with the Foundation’s mission. For example, Charlotte Affordable Housing Bonds (taxable municipal bonds) support belonging and flourishing communities, a component of The Gambrell Foundation’s unique mission.
Program-Related Investments (PRI)
Below market rate investments
Grants
Zero-Rate Investments

Questions about our Investment Framework?

Contact Brittany to learn more.

Brittany Priester
Investment Advisor
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Investing Insights

Closer Look at Values-Aligned Investment Framework
Written by
Brittany Priester
Portfolio Manager
As depicted in the below illustration, the foundation’s portfolio is comprised of two overarching buckets: Classic Investments and VAIs.  Classic Investments consist of traditional holdings, such as shares of Google or a U.S. corporate bond, which we only track the financial return.  The second bucket, VAIs, comprises traditional holdings analyzed via an unconventional lens tracking […]
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Introduction to Program-Related Investments (“PRIs”)
Written by
Brittany Priester
Portfolio Manager
Although PRIs are relatively new to The Gambrell Foundation, The Ford Foundation originated the concept in 1968. A PRI is money that leaves the foundation’s corpus, counting towards a private foundation’s 5% annual payout requirement in the year made, and goes into the hands of a non-profit or for-profit entity. The primary distinction between a […]
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Debunking the Myth that Values-Aligned Investments Forgo Financial Performance
Written by
Brittany Priester
Portfolio Manager
Before delving into our unique values-aligned investment (“VAI”) framework and implementation, I would like to summarize and reference additional academic studies, which further dispel the myth that one sacrifices financial return when participating in VAIs.  CFA Institute Research Foundation in collaboration with Swiss Sustainable Finance published the Handbook on Sustainable Investments in 2017, which summarizes […]
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  • Introduction to Program-Related Investments (“PRIs”)
    Written by
    Brittany Priester
    Portfolio Manager
    Although PRIs are relatively new to The Gambrell Foundation, The Ford Foundation originated the concept in 1968. A PRI is money that leaves the foundation’s corpus, counting towards a private foundation’s 5% annual payout requirement in the year made, and goes into the hands of a non-profit or for-profit entity. The primary distinction between a […]
    Learn More
  • Debunking the Myth that Values-Aligned Investments Forgo Financial Performance
    Written by
    Brittany Priester
    Portfolio Manager
    Before delving into our unique values-aligned investment (“VAI”) framework and implementation, I would like to summarize and reference additional academic studies, which further dispel the myth that one sacrifices financial return when participating in VAIs.  CFA Institute Research Foundation in collaboration with Swiss Sustainable Finance published the Handbook on Sustainable Investments in 2017, which summarizes […]
    Learn More