When "Good Enough" Governance Stops Being Enough Many foundations run on heart. The board cares, the staff works hard, and the mission drives every conversation. Yet trouble usually shows up somewhere else, in the quieter place where investment decisions are made, recorded, or sometimes not made at all. We see it often. A community foundation reviews its portfolio once a year at a long board meeting. The statements look acceptable, so everyone moves on. Then markets lurch, sp

Non-profit portfolios are supposed to support the mission, not keep everyone awake at night. Yet many investment committee meetings start with the same concern: volatile returns, an uncertain budget, and a policy portfolio that feels like it belongs to someone else. When that tension shows up year after year, it is a sign that something deeper than market swings may be off. We see this often. Many non-profit asset allocation strategies are inherited, not designed. Old rules o