Wayne State Foundation financial statements
Currently available: 2021 - 2025
View the WSF financial statements (PDFs)
Summary of endowment investment returns
As of June 30, 2025
| Period | Commonfund/Charles Schwab | Robert E. Cunningham Trust | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year | 11.38% | 9.97% | 11.57% |
| 3 Years | 11.50%* | 10.63% | 10.71% |
| 5 Years | 11.22%* | 8.50% | 9.65% |
| 10 Years | 8.81%* | 6.37% | 8.96% |
*Commonfund, an asset management firm based in Wilton, Conn., managed the majority of endowment assets since 2001. In January 2022, the Executive Committee selected McMill Wealth based in Norfolk, Neb., to manage the endowment assets.
McMill Wealth is an independent, fee-only, extensive investment advisory firm that specializes in managing portfolios using passive asset class investment strategies. The endowment assets are invested with Charles Schwab.
- As of June 30, 2025, the asset mix for the Charles Schwab accounts was 67.78% equities, 28.80% fixed income/fixed income alternatives/cash equivalents, and 3.42% real estate investment trust (REIT).
- As of June 30, 2025, the asset mix for the Robert E. Cunningham Trust account was 65.3% equities, 23.9% fixed income, 7.9% alternatives, and 2.8% cash and equivalents.
- The benchmark used for the Foundation’s investment performance is a weighted benchmark comprised of the following:
- 30% Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond
- 22.3% S&P 500
- 10% Russell 2000 Value
- 9.3% Russell 1000 Value
- 6.9% MSCI World ex USA Value
- 5.2% MSCI World ex USA
- 5% Russell 2000
- 3.5% MSCI World ex USA Small Value
- 3.5% S&P Global REIT
- 2.6% MSCI Emerging Markets
- 1.7% MSCI World ex USA Small Cap
Endowment spending policy
The Wayne State Foundation Executive Committee approves policies to determine the amount of the endowment earnings to annually distribute for scholarship and other programs. The current policy sets the payout rate up to 4% of the average market value of the endowment fund over the prior three fiscal years. The executive committee has authorized the assessment of minimal fees to address the costs associated with raising funds, managing investments and other administrative functions. Earnings in excess of the payout are used to grow the fund over time, which will generate larger awards in the future. Our goal is to provide predictable streams of scholarship and program support for Wayne State College while allowing growth in the endowment to preserve purchasing power in the long term, a concept known as intergenerational equity.
Financial support provided to WSC in 2025
Financial support to Wayne State College in 2025 totaled $6,372,660 with a breakdown as follows:
- Capital improvements - $3,458,245
- Scholarships and grants - $2,448,962
- General institutional support - $465,453
Alumni participation rate
The alumni participation rate or alumni giving percentage, defined as the percentage of alumni who make contributions to the alma mater, is a figure used by U.S. News and World Report when ranking college and universities in their annual report. The alumni participation rate for 2025 was 7.8%.