Services for Non-Profits and Foundations

Empowering Non-Profits and Foundations to Focus on Their Mission

At Freestone, our mission is to empower clients to focus on what truly matters. For non-profits and foundations, that means more time and energy dedicated to advancing an organization’s cause—and less time navigating financial complexity. Our experience ensures that our non-profit and foundation clients can:

▪ Reduce fiduciary liability for the board of directors
▪ Minimize administrative burden on the internal staff
▪ Strengthen alignment between their investments and their mission
▪ Create clarity and confidence in their investments, cash holdings, and overall financial operations

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The Ideal Client

▪ Organizations or family charity accounts with fiduciary investment assets of $5 million to $100 million
▪ Existing organizations that are not currently implementing industry bestpractices for management of charitable funds, such as a lack of a current IPS (none or outdated), customized, ongoing tracking of their investments to their IPS, and/or expensive or complex investments given their size
▪ We are the best fit for clients looking to truly “outsource” the full fiduciary and investment process so the board and professional staff (or family) can focus on the mission of the organization

Fiduciary Best Practices: What Every Organization Needs

To reduce fiduciary risk and promote long-term financial sustainability, Freestone clients benefit from the implementation of key best practices:

  • Governance and Policy Management

    We help organizations establish or revise—and, crucially, maintain—an Investment Policy Statement (IPS) and a Spending Policy to ensure financial decisions align with long-term goals and fiduciary responsibilities.

  • Santa Barbara

    Ongoing Oversight and Documentation

    Our process includes quarterly monitoring and documentation of both financial performance and adherence to the IPS. We also ensure that any required corrective actions are clearly documented and addressed in a timely manner.

  • Asset Protection and Audit

    To safeguard assets, we utilize a secure third-party custodian and perform annual audits of portfolio valuations to verify accuracy and transparency.

Freestone's Comprehensive Offering

Our experience ensures that our non-profit and foundation clients can reduce fiduciary liability for the board of directors, minimize the administrative burden on internal staff, and strengthen alignment between their investments and their mission. Additionally, we help create clarity and confidence in their investments, cash holdings, and overall financial operations.

    • Clear, measurable objectives tailored to each pool of capital
    • Separate IPS documents for Endowment (10+ years), Reserves (5–10 years), and Operating Funds
      (under 5 years)
    • Defined asset allocation targets, risk parameters, and return goals
    • Custom liquidity strategies aligned with your IPS and spending needs
    • Seamless movement of funds and allocation into agreed investment model
    • Strategic giving solutions designed in partnership with Clark Nuber
    • Donor support services including the receipt and liquidation of gifted securities or Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRA accounts (QCDs)
    • Access to investment strategies , including impact investments strategies, aligned to the organization’s mission, risk tolerance, and spend policy
    • Low-cost, benchmark-tracking portfolios
    • Optional exposure to alternative investments when the portfolio size warrants (typically for portfolios exceeding $50 million)
    • Transparent quarterly reporting: deposits, withdrawals, performance, income, and allocation
    • Fiduciary letter documenting compliance with IPS and Spending Policy, and clearly noting any required deficiencies for immediate correction
    • Ready-to-share materials for internal staff, board of directors, and other stakeholders
    • A lead Client Advisor and support team responsible for day-to-day service and quarterly deliverables
    • Personalized attention to ensure alignment with an organization’s goals and governance needs
    • Competitive and transparent fees
    • Adjusted based on organization size and complexity

Focus on What Truly Matters

Partnering with Freestone offers organizations peace of mind, strategic clarity, and the confidence of a trusted fiduciary. We help advance their mission by simplifying the complexities of fiduciary responsibility— and delivering best-in-class stewardship every step of the way.