With the economic challenges currently facing the U.S., it is ever more important to be good stewards of the resources entrusted to us by our generous donors. The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation remains committed to sound financial oversight of investments and operating expenses.  

Our Investment Committee is comprised of professional financial advisors who are highly respected in their fields. In addition, we retain an investment consultant who provides valuable guidance in the monitoring of investment managers, allocation of assets among asset classes and all other aspects of portfolio management.  

The Investment Committee structures our investment and spending policies to preserve capital and maximize return, within the bounds of safety and prudence. This prudence is evidenced by our investment results for fiscal year 2008. The endowment portfolio’s negative return of 4.8% for the fiscal year and positive return of 10.6% for the five year period well outperformed the S&P 500 and other major market indexes.  

Contributions during Fiscal 08 totaled $5.6 million, enabling the Community Foundation to disburse $3.4 million in grants to nonprofits and community initiatives, an increase of 33% over the prior year.   We have every reason to believe the U.S. will eventually work through these difficult times and resume growing at a normal pace. The Community Foundation will maintain its long term view, knowing that it is this view that allows us to enrich our community in perpetuity.

Primary Investment Managers
Allianz Global Investors
American Funds
Blackstone Partners Offshore Fund Ltd.
Brandywine Global Investment Management, LLC
Common Sense Offshore, Ltd.
Dimensional Fund Advisors
Harbor Funds
PIMCO Funds
Rainier Investment Management
State Street Global Advisors
Third Avenue Funds    

Independent Auditor
Dwyer, Pemberton & Coulson, P.C.      

Investment Advisor
Wurts & Associates Inc.      

Investment Committee
Steve Murray, Chair      
Al Bacon, III                      
Brad Cheney
John James
Kathy McAuley            
Tim Tucci                     
John Wiborg    

FISCAL YEAR 2008 Financials