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Regis High School Endowment
The endowment was seeded in 1914 by Julia M. Grant, widow of New York City mayor Hugh J. Grant, to fund a Jesuit secondary school for Catholic boys.
Regis High School Endowment
The endowment was seeded in 1914 by Julia M. Grant, widow of New York City mayor Hugh J. Grant, to fund a Jesuit secondary school for Catholic boys. The fund has operated for over 110 years, governed by a board led by private equity investor Anthony DiNovi of Thomas H. Lee Partners and Vice Chair Roger T. Knight of Moelis & Company. The board also includes Jefferies managing director William Q. Derrough and Hebbia CEO George Sivulka. The fund employs a fund-of-funds structure to support Regis High School's mission. While the endowment does not publicly disclose specific holdings, its board composition points to deep connections within private equity, venture capital, and investment banking — factors that influence manager selection. The fund's annual disbursement covers a significant portion of the school's operating costs, maintaining a tuition-free model for all students on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The endowment held an estimated $130 million (Altss estimate) as of mid-2026. The board draws on several professional networks, including the Regis Financial Network, a group of alumni working in investment banking, private equity, and hedge funds. Alongside the investment portfolio, the endowment is associated with supporting entities like the Hugh J Grant Trust and the Regis High School Foundation. No recent operational event from the last 24 months is verifiable. The endowment's governance is its structural anchor: a working board of finance professionals who likely source and evaluate fund commitments through their own firms' institutional knowledge. This architecture blurs the line between an educational foundation and an investment committee composed of active dealmakers.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1914
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
New York
Corporate office
New York, New York, United States
Principals
Anthony DiNovi
Board Chair
Roger T. Knight
Vice Chair
William Q. Derrough
Board Member
George Sivulka
Board Member
Martin J. Mannion
Board Member
Frequently asked questions
Who makes the investment decisions for the Regis High School Endowment?
The endowment is governed by a volunteer board of trustees, chaired by Anthony DiNovi of Thomas H. Lee Partners. The vice chair is Roger T. Knight of Moelis & Company. Board members include senior professionals from Jefferies, Summit Partners, and Hebbia. Given the absence of a named CIO, the board directly oversees the fund-of-funds strategy and manager selection.
What is the endowment's investment strategy?
The endowment follows a fund-of-funds strategy, committing capital to external managers rather than investing directly in operating companies or real assets. The specific asset-class mix is not publicly disclosed, but the board's private equity and investment banking backgrounds suggest a tilt toward alternative assets.
How does the endowment support Regis High School's operations?
The endowment contributes approximately 4% of its value annually to the school's operating budget. On an estimated $130M portfolio, this disburses around $5.2M per year — enough to make Regis one of the few remaining private high schools in the United States that charges zero tuition.
Where did the original wealth for the Regis endowment come from?
The founding gift came from Julia M. Grant, the widow of Hugh J. Grant, who served as mayor of New York City. Her 1914 donation established the school and its supporting endowment. The fund has since grown through additional donor-restricted and board-designated contributions.
Does the Regis endowment maintain any side vehicles or philanthropic arms?
Several related entities exist alongside the main endowment, including the Regis High School Foundation, the Regis High School Property Trust, and the Hugh J Grant Trust. Additional funds such as The Hearn Fund are also associated with the school. These structures support long-term capital preservation and specific donor-designated initiatives.
Profile maintained by Altss 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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