Our Investment Strategy
Helping Catholic institutions pursue strong investment returns while remaining true to their religious principles.
We strive to deliver strong, long-term investment results for clients by creating portfolios with three, mutually reinforcing themes:
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Catholic PrinciplesWe look at every client portfolio through the lens of Catholic belief. We apply guidance from the socially responsible investment guidelines created by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and inspiration from such sources as Pope Francis's "Laudato Si' – On care for our common home”. -
DiversificationWe emphasize diversification in our investment approach as a means to seek returns while mitigating risk. CIS invests in a broad variety of asset classes, including public and private equity, high-yield bonds, commodities, real estate investment trusts, hedge funds, asset-backed securities, fixed income and cash equivalents. -
Manager SelectionWe draw on the deep knowledge and extensive relationships of our investment partners, board and team members to access top-tier investment managers who are equipped to shape investment returns that can contribute to our clients’ missions.
Catholic Social Teaching
Catholic Affinity
Leaders of Catholic institutions must ensure the long-term sustainability of their organizations and their vital work by investing prudently for the future. At the same time, these religious leaders strive to align their investment choices with the tenets of the Catholic faith, so that their funds have the opportunity to do good – rather than potential harm – in the world.
Catholic Investment Services helps these leaders meet this complex, two-pronged investment goal. We begin by providing investment solutions that align with the socially responsible investment guidelines of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). These guidelines offer insights into how to invest while also:
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Protecting Human Lifeby excluding investment in companies whose activities involve abortion, embryonic stem cell or fetal tissue research, or human cloning, while supporting access to life-sustaining drugs among poorer populations. -
Promoting Human Dignityby promoting the protection of human rights, divesting of companies involved in racial or gender discrimination, human trafficking and forced labor, and excluding purveyors of contraceptives. -
Enhancing the Common Goodby reducing arms production, and addictive materials or harmful habitual behaviors. -
Pursuing Economic Justiceby promoting social, environmental and financial responsibility, labor standards, affordable housing and banking, and impact investing. -
Saving Our Global Common Homeby promoting responses to climate change and promoting the conservation of biodiversity, and water and natural resources.
Who We Serve
Our clients entrust us with managing close to $1 billion of their assets.*
We partner with a diverse group of Catholic 501(c)(3) non-profits:
- Educational institutions
- Dioceses
- Religious orders
- Catholic community foundations
- Catholic charities
- Health care systems
- Private foundations
- Social service organizations
CIS serves the diverse needs of Catholic organizations of varying endowment and asset levels.
*As of December 31, 2023
Our Family of Solutions
Catholic Endowment Fund
Catholic Diversifying Strategies Fund
Catholic Global Equity Fund
Catholic Impact Funds
CIS Catholic Venture Access Fund
Customized Solutions
Catholic Endowment Fund
The Catholic Endowment Fund (CEF) offers exposure to global equities, fixed income and alternatives. At the core of this diverse portfolio is our proprietary socially responsible investment (SRI) policy, which is aligned with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops guidelines and factors in other responsible investing considerations. CEF is managed by our investment partner, Wellington Management.
Catholic Diversifying Strategies Fund
The Catholic Diversifying Strategies Fund (CDSF) employs a range of strategies including long/short, market neutral, and relative value to pursue meaningful investment returns with limited equity market sensitivity. This fund is a component of our comprehensive Catholic Endowment Fund, and follows the same proprietary socially responsible investment (SRI) policy, with Catholic principles at its core. CDSF is managed by our investment partner, Wellington Management.
Catholic Global Equity Fund
The Catholic Global Equity Fund (CGEF) invests globally via external specialist equity managers seeking to generate meaningful investment returns in excess of its’ benchmark the MSCI All Country World Index. This fund is a component of our comprehensive Catholic Endowment Fund, and follows the same proprietary socially responsible investment (SRI) policy, with Catholic principles at its core. CGEF is managed by our investment partner, Wellington Management.
Catholic Impact Funds
Catholic investors seeking to make a measurable impact in their areas of interest have an opportunity to participate in our periodic private market fund offerings. These offerings are particularly attractive for investors who wish to act on such guidance as the Laudato Si’. Our current funds are managed by Hamilton Lane.
CIS Catholic Venture Access Fund
Through a unique partnership with Hamilton Lane and Cendana, we offer a screened venture access strategy. The fund will invest in businesses, both directly or alongside or through fund managers, diversified across life cycle, strategy, geography and industry.
Customized Solutions
CIS works with large Catholic institutions – those with significant asset pools and complex, often global investment considerations – to create custom investment portfolios. These entities look to use separate account strategies involving custom targets, diversification and asset allocations.
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Our goal is to provide Catholic organizations with investment solutions that deliver strong long-term results, prudent risk management, and competitive fees. Although we are a non-profit Catholic organization, we are first and foremost an investment firm.
John J. Brennan,
CIS Trustee/Founder
CIS Trustee/Founder
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Our Investment Partners
We work with firms that are pillars in the asset management community and whose names are synonymous with high-quality investing.
Our investment partners are aligned with the mission of CIS and the goals of our Catholic institutional clients.
About Us