# Clark Atlanta University Endowment

Clark Atlanta University Endowment is an Endowment / Foundation based in Atlanta, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Atlanta, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Atlanta, GA, United States
- **Founded:** 1988
- **Assets under management:** $100M–$250M (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** www.cau.edu

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Clark Atlanta University was formed in 1988 from the consolidation of Atlanta University, founded in 1865 by James Tate and Grandison Daniels, and Clark College, established in 1869. The institution emerged as a private, historically Black research university affiliated with the United Methodist Church. President George T. French Jr. oversees an endowment that serves a student body of approximately 4,000, carrying forward a dual mission of academic rigor and economic mobility for a predominantly Pell-eligible population. The endowment operates under the governance of a Board of Trustees chaired by Gregory B. Morrison, a senior executive at Cox Enterprises. The endowment allocates across public equities, fixed income, real assets, and a growing but measured alternatives program. Its participation in the AltFinance initiative, launched in 2021 alongside Apollo Global Management, Ares Management, and Oaktree Capital Management, provides co-investment access and student pathways into private capital. Traditional manager commitments anchor the portfolio, with the institution maintaining membership in the Intentional Endowments Network, where Felicia Davis serves on the Steering Committee. The geographic focus remains domestic, with no significant direct international exposure publicly disclosed. The estimated $100–$250 million pool (Altss estimate) ranks Clark Atlanta among the smaller endowments in the Atlanta University Center Consortium, which includes Spelman College and the Morehouse School of Medicine's separate pools. Leonard Walker, Vice-Chair of the Board and head of the Finance and Audit Committee, provides operational oversight alongside the university's administrative investment staff. The broader financial footprint includes commercial real estate holdings such as the main campus on James P. Brawley Drive and athletic facilities like Panther Stadium. March 2024: The university completed its annual audit without publicly signaling any change to its investment policy statement or manager roster. The endowment's architecture differs structurally from peer institutions through its active participation in the AltFinance operating company model — a partnership where the university gains not only co-investment economics but also curriculum integration and talent pipeline commitments from Apollo, Ares, and Oaktree. This hybrid structure blends fiduciary stewardship with workforce development, a posture few endowments of comparable size have replicated. Board governance through the Finance and Audit Committee, chaired by a sitting corporate executive at Cox, adds a layer of operational discipline uncommon at smaller HBCU endowments.

## Sectors

- Education

## People

- George T. French Jr. — President
- Gregory B. Morrison — Chair of the Board of Trustees
- Leonard Walker — Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees and Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at Clark Atlanta University Endowment?

Investment decisions are overseen by the Finance and Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees, chaired by Leonard Walker. President George T. French Jr. has ultimate administrative authority, while day-to-day management falls to the university's investment staff. The committee works with external consultants to set strategic asset allocation and select managers, though the specific investment staff head has not been publicly named.

### How does Clark Atlanta University Endowment access private market deals?

The endowment participates in the AltFinance initiative, a partnership launched in 2021 with Apollo Global Management, Ares Management, and Oaktree Capital Management. This provides co-investment access and student-facing programs while maintaining traditional manager commitments for core alternatives exposure. The initiative is structured as both an investment vehicle and a workforce pipeline for HBCU students into private equity.

### Is Clark Atlanta University's endowment structured as part of the Atlanta University Center Consortium?

No. While Clark Atlanta is a member of the Atlanta University Center Consortium alongside Morehouse College, Spelman College, and the Morehouse School of Medicine, each institution maintains an independent endowment. There is no pooled investment vehicle across the consortium, though resources like the Woodruff Library are shared. Endowments are separately governed and managed.

### Does Clark Atlanta University Endowment disclose its asset allocation publicly?

No. Like most smaller endowments, Clark Atlanta does not publicly disclose its target asset allocation, manager roster, or specific portfolio holdings. Estimated total assets sit in the $100–$250 million range (Altss estimate). The university's IRS Form 990 filings provide limited line-item disclosure, but granular investment data is not published.

### What is the relationship between Clark Atlanta University and the United Negro College Fund?

Clark Atlanta is a member institution of the UNCF and participates in its pooled endowment and capital campaigns. The UNCF provides scholarship support, institutional grants, and advocacy for its 37 member HBCUs, but does not manage Clark Atlanta's endowment directly. The university benefits from UNCF fundraising infrastructure while retaining independent investment governance.

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/clark-atlanta-university-endowment

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