Summary
Six UK charitable investors created the Endowments Investing Challenge, a pioneering initiative seeking a bold investment portfolio to generate positive impact for future generations.
Aims and activities
Aims and questions
Aims and activities
The Endowments Investing Challenge (EIC) held an open and collaborative tender process for an investment mandate seeking positive impact on future generations alongside financial returns.
On 25 March 2026, the Endowments Investing Challenge event was held and Triodos Investment Management was announced as the winner of the people’s choice vote.
The Challenge invited investment service providers to propose innovative investment approaches for a mandate of up to £50 million. 60 applications were received, and five were shortlisted. The shortlisted organisations presented their portfolios, sparking challenging questions and rigorous scrutiny from the audience of charities, mission-led investors, and young people.
To create real change in the investment sector, we need to bring more voices to the table. The EIC brought together a range of different charities, partners, and investors with a panel of remarkable young people. Together we’ve shown the power of collective action, transparency, and participation. This process can be replicated by other charitable investors on different scales to support them to use their capital to address the issues that society faces rather than exacerbating the problems.
How to get involved
If you would like more information, please email hello@endowmentsinvestingchallenge.com or call + 44 (0) 1904 629675 and ask for the investment team.
Who's involved
Who was involved
The organisations behind the initiative include the Blagrave Trust, the Children’s Society, Cripplegate Foundation, Friends Provident Foundation, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and Vivensa Foundation, with support from John Ellerman Foundation, The Robertson Trust, the Impact Investing Institute, Gallagher and Share Action.
Learning and Resources
We will develop learning as the process develops. However, the following blog post reflects on the first iteration of the initiative, coined the “ESG investing Olympics”, which took place in 2020: Raising the bar: Reflections 3 years after the launch of the Cazenove Capital Sustainable Growth Fund - Friends Provident Foundation
