Date & time: Wednesday 25 February 2026
Location: Toynbee Hall, London
Register: Eventbrite — Utilising Whole Endowments for Mission
The EIRIS Foundation invites trustees, CEOs, investment committees and foundation staff to a practical day of discussion, learning and peer exchange on using whole endowments to advance mission. Hosted in partnership with Friends Provident Foundation and Access — The Foundation for Social Investment, this one-day event gathers leaders from charities and foundations who are rethinking how endowment assets can be deployed intentionally to further charitable objectives.
Why this matters now
Charities are under growing pressure to make their assets work harder for the causes they exist to serve — not only by preserving capital but by directing investment power towards social and environmental outcomes. Recent guidance from the Charity Commission (CC14) clarifies that trustees’ principal duty is to further the charity’s purposes and that ethical, environmental or social considerations may be taken into account where they are in line with the charity’s aims and financial duties. This makes the case stronger than ever for trustees to treat endowments as a strategic tool for mission.
At the same time, the UK impact-investing market is maturing and scaling, demonstrating measurable outcomes and growing capacity for charities to deploy capital in patient, mission-aligned ways. Examples from specialist social investors and pooled vehicles show how capital can deliver both mission and long-term financial sustainability for charitable endowments.
What we’ll cover
- Different models for ‘whole endowment’ approaches — from alignment and exclusionary screening to mission-linked impact allocations and programme-related investment (PRI) strategies.
- Governance and legal considerations for trustees: understanding fiduciary duties, documenting decision-making, measuring risk and return, and reporting to stakeholders.
- Practical case studies from charities and foundations who have restructured their investment policies to increase mission alignment while maintaining financial resilience.
- How to engage investment managers, advisors and beneficiaries in a coherent, transparent strategy.
Who should attend
This event is especially useful for:
- Charity trustees and chairs
- Chief executives and finance directors
- Investment committee members and in-house investment teams
- Foundation programme leads and grant-makers
If you’re curious but cautious about changing investment practice, this day is designed to demystify legal concerns and surface practical governance steps so you can decide with confidence.
Governance & fiduciary duty — the brief legal framing
Trustees must act in the best interests of their charity and further its purposes; recent guidance makes clear that this duty allows, and in some cases encourages, trustees to incorporate ethical and mission-related factors into investment strategy where appropriate and documented. Good governance means recording the rationale for decisions, testing risk assumptions, and ensuring any move toward mission-aligned allocation is consistent with the charity’s financial needs and risk appetite.
Why a ‘whole endowment’ conversation is best practice
Deploying endowment capital with mission in mind is increasingly recognised as responsible stewardship. Doing so can reduce reputational risk, better align internal and external stakeholders, and unlock new impact-focused markets that reinvest returns into social outcomes. Recent market developments and examples from the social investment sector show that this approach can coexist with, and often support, long-term financial resilience.
Register and join the conversation
Spaces are limited. Please register on Eventbrite to secure your place: Register now.
Partners
This event is run by the EIRIS Foundation in partnership with Friends Provident Foundation and Access — The Foundation for Social Investment.
Need help preparing?
If you’d like a short pre-event briefing for your board or investment committee, email lisa.stonestreet@eirisfoundation.org and we’ll share a concise one‑page summary you can circulate ahead of the day.