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University of New Hampshire Foundation
The University of New Hampshire Foundation was incorporated in 1989 to build and manage private support for the University of New Hampshire. As a component...
University of New Hampshire Foundation
The University of New Hampshire Foundation was incorporated in 1989 to build and manage private support for the University of New Hampshire. As a component unit of the University System of New Hampshire, the foundation oversees a portion of the system's consolidated endowment pool, with an investment committee chaired by Greg Jansen. The foundation benefits from a long history of land and real estate gifts that have shaped its asset base, including multiple farms and campus properties in Durham, New Hampshire. The foundation allocates across a broad opportunity set, spanning buyout, venture capital, distressed debt, mezzanine, and secondaries. Real assets form a notable component: holdings include East Foss Farm, West Foss Farm, Thompson Farm, the UNH Horticultural Farm, and College Woods—rural and agricultural parcels that distinguish this endowment from urban real-estate-heavy peers. The foundation also holds a position in the TrueBridge Blockchain I fund venture vehicle, signaling a willingness to access early-stage technology through specialized fund managers alongside its more traditional private equity and credit commitments. The foundation maintains a compact professional footprint, with Deborah Dutton serving as president and Kevin Knarr chairing the investments and capital planning committee. No dedicated internal investment office size is publicly documented, suggesting the committee relies on external manager selection and consultant support rather than a large in-house team. The foundation is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment and participates actively in the Intentional Endowments Network, integrating ESG considerations into its investment process. The structural differentiator lies in the foundation's in-kind legacy. Direct ownership of operating farmland, forested tracts, and campus real estate—much of it donated—creates a long-duration, hard-asset core that most similarly sized public-university foundations lack. This real-asset ballast sits alongside a conventional fund-of-funds and co-investment program, producing a hybrid portfolio that blends endowment-style diversification with direct land stewardship.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1989
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Durham
Corporate office
Durham, NH, United States
Principals
Greg Jansen
Chair, Investment Committee
Deborah Dutton
President, UNH Foundation & VP for University Advancement
Kevin Knarr
Secretary; Chairman, Investments and Capital Planning Committee
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at the UNH Foundation?
The UNH Foundation Investment Committee, chaired by Greg Jansen, oversees investment policy and manager selection. Kevin Knarr serves as secretary and chairs the Investments and Capital Planning Committee, which handles broader capital allocation. Day-to-day management is lean, likely supported by external consultants rather than an internal investment office.
How does the UNH Foundation source investment opportunities?
The foundation sources primarily through fund commitments and external manager relationships, consistent with a small endowment model. The presence of a TrueBridge Blockchain I fund position and a real assets allocation suggests access to specialized venture and real-asset managers, likely through consultant recommendations and peer endowment networks.
Is the UNH Foundation structured as a standalone endowment or part of a larger system?
The UNH Foundation is a component unit of the University System of New Hampshire and manages a portion of the USNH consolidated endowment pool. The foundation's assets are commingled with the broader system's endowment for investment purposes but are separately accounted for as foundation-held funds designated to benefit the University of New Hampshire specifically.
What role do real assets and farmland play in the foundation's portfolio?
Real assets, including donated farmland and forested parcels, form a distinctive part of the foundation's holdings. Properties such as East Foss Farm, West Foss Farm, Thompson Farm, and College Woods provide direct land exposure that generates income and long-term appreciation, separate from the foundation's commingled fund investments.
Does the UNH Foundation participate in direct deals or only fund commitments?
The foundation's strategy tags include buyout, venture capital, distressed debt, and secondaries, indicating a mix of primary fund commitments and opportunistic secondary or co-investment activity. Direct land holdings from gifts also represent a form of direct ownership outside the fund structure, though no evidence of direct private-company co-investments is publicly available.
What is the foundation's posture on ESG and responsible investing?
The UNH Foundation is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment and participates in the Intentional Endowments Network. This reflects a commitment to incorporating ESG factors into investment decisions, though no specific exclusionary screens or impact mandates are publicly detailed.
How is the UNH Foundation related to the Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics?
Peter T. Paul, a major donor to the university and the namesake of the business school, is identified as a co-investor with the foundation. His relationship suggests close ties between major benefactors and the foundation's leadership, though the specific co-investment vehicles are not publicly disclosed.
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