Endowment / Foundation

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Colcom Foundation

Colcom Foundation was established in 1996 by Cordelia Scaife May. The foundation receives its endowment from the Mellon family heiress and maintains a focus on...

Colcom Foundation logo

Colcom Foundation

Colcom Foundation was established in 1996 by Cordelia Scaife May. The foundation receives its endowment from the Mellon family heiress and maintains a focus on population and conservation topics. The foundation allocates across public equities, fixed income, and alternatives. Confirmed positions include commitments to Incline Equity Partners III, Aberdeen U.S. Private Equity III (Offshore), L.P., and Ashbridge Transformational Secondaries Fund II. It also holds direct real estate in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, and maintains an office in Pittsburgh's Gulf Tower. Geographic exposure centers on the United States with additional activity through national grant recipients. The foundation employs no disclosed headcount beyond its named officers. It maintains memberships in Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania and the United Philanthropy Forum. Service providers include BNY Mellon as custodian since 1996 and Clearwater Analytics for reporting since 2023. No operational events from the last 24 months appear in available records. Colcom Foundation operates as a private grantmaking entity rather than a typical endowment with external manager relationships. Its structure ties investment decisions directly to the founder's documented priorities on immigration and conservation organizations.

General information

Firm type

Endowment / Foundation

Year founded

1996

Location

Region

North America

Country

United States

City

Pittsburgh

Corporate office

707 Grant Street, Suite 2500, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Principals

John S. Barsotti

President and Chief Investment Officer

Raymond Lombardi Jr.

Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

John Rohe

Vice President and former legal counsel

Sector focus

Environmental ServicesClimate

Frequently asked questions

Who runs investment decisions at Colcom Foundation?

John S. Barsotti serves as President and Chief Investment Officer. Raymond Lombardi Jr. acts as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. John Rohe holds the role of Vice President.

Does Colcom Foundation participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

The foundation holds limited partnership interests in three private equity and secondaries vehicles. Positions include Incline Equity Partners III and Ashbridge Transformational Secondaries Fund II.

Where does the underlying wealth come from?

The endowment traces to Cordelia Scaife May, a Mellon family heiress. She established the foundation in 1996 as its primary benefactor.

What asset classes appear in the portfolio?

Allocations cover public equities, fixed income, and alternatives. Private equity commitments represent 13.06 percent of assets against a 15 percent target.

Which sectors does Colcom Foundation explicitly avoid?

No explicit avoidance list is stated. The foundation directs resources to environmental conservation and population-related grants.

How is Colcom Foundation related to Laurel Foundation?

Laurel Foundation is a sister entity also created by Cordelia Scaife May. It focuses on arts, culture, and conservation with separate governance.

What investment stages does Colcom Foundation typically target?

The foundation commits to buyout, secondaries, and balanced strategies through fund vehicles. No direct early-stage or venture activity is recorded.

Profile maintained by using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.

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