- Over the last decade, Harvard’s endowment ($37 billion) returns (4.4%/year) have lagged the Ivy League average (5.9%).
- Underperformance has caused Harvard to miss out on $6 billion in additional gains.
- Harvard’s underperformance has been offset by successful fundraising (most recent campaign raised $9 billion).
- Like all elite universities, Harvard is increasingly dependent on a smaller group of super-wealthy donors.
- Under recent President Drew Faust (2007-2018), Harvard started naming schools after donors.
- 33% of all donations to US universities last year came from only 12 donors.
