NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Friday, June 9, 2017

The National Geographic Society today announced it is dedicating $50 million from its $1.1 billion endowment to impact investments, furthering its commitment to understanding our planet and generating solutions for a healthy, more sustainable future.

“At National Geographic, we are committed to changing the world through science, exploration, education and storytelling,” says Gary E. Knell, president and CEO of the National Geographic Society. “We recognized the opportunity to double down on our ability to make an impact — contributing to a better society not just through the grants we make, but by making investments that deliver both financial and societal returns.”

“Nonprofit institutions are increasingly seeking ways to develop and implement an impact investing program that aligns their philanthropic and investment goals,” says David Druley, chairman and CEO of Cambridge Associates. “The way in which the National Geographic Society is leveraging its growing endowment to further its mission sets a true example for how institutional investors can create even deeper societal impact on a global scale through endowment investing.”