OCAD University endowments

The capital of the OCAD University endowment fund is preserved and the annual payout from income earned supports a variety of activities. OCAD U has more than 145 individually named funds designated for particular scholarships, bursaries, awards and academic programming. 

The endowment is managed as a pooled investment fund, much like a mutual fund. It's supervised by the Investment Committee of the OCAD U Board of Governors, which establishes investment goals, benchmarks and annual payout policies. 

For details on the endowment's investments, returns, and allocations, please refer to our 2022-2023 endowment report.

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How your donations are managed

At OCAD University, we believe in transparency and accountability in managing your generous donations. When you choose to support us, you have the opportunity to designate your gift toward a variety of initiatives, including student experiences and support, building and infrastructure, scholarships and awards, or OCAD U's Greatest Needs Fund. 

We ensure every dollar you give goes directly to the area you select, and we are committed to keeping you informed and engaged every step of the way. Through regular updates, reports and impact stories, we strive to show you exactly how your investment is making a difference to the lives of our students, the vibrancy of our campus, and innovative advancements to our programs and facilities. Your trust and support drive our mission forward, and we are deeply grateful for your partnership in shaping the future of OCAD U. 

Investment policies

As per OCAD University's Statement of Investment Policies (PDF), OCAD U supports the United Nations Principles of Responsible Investing, launched in 2006. These principles acknowledge the environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors and long-term stability of markets as a whole. To learn more, please visit our investment policies and guidelines (PDF). 

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