A Focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Trustee Education, and Cultivating a Diverse Sourcing Network
The collaboration project is led by co-chairs Emily Cox and Lynn O'Connell, and supported by AIF's Melissa Waller, Susan Boyle, and Barbara Lambroza
2022–2023 Collaboration Project
Goals and Objectives
The inaugural 2022–2023 collaboration project was announced at the 2022 AIF Women Investors’ Forum with an official rollout at the 2023 AIF Annual Investors’ Meeting in New York City. Goals and objectives for the year include:
- Identifying and onboarding resources and collaboration partners
- Launching institutional investors data collection initiative
- Fostering continued thought leader discussions in DEI across the AIF and industry landscape
Diversity panel discussion at the AIF Women Investors' Forum
Aligned Organization: Institutional Allocators for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (IADEI)
Promoting DEI within institutional investing, IADEI's mission is differentiated by its collaborative and allocator-focused approach
About IADEI
Mission and Focus
IADEI is a consortium of institutional investors that seeks to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within institutional investment teams and portfolios and across the investment management industry.
Differentiated by its collaborative and allocator-focused approach, one of IADEI’s primary missions is to direct significantly more capital to diverse-owned investment firms as well as to funds with diverse leadership.
Empowering Institutional Allocators to Underwrite More Equitably
Strategy
IADEI's strategy involves:
- Widening the investment funnel by facilitating engagement with diverse managers
- Changing the shape of the investment funnel by empowering institutional allocators to underwrite more equitably
- Expanding the pie through efforts to mentor diverse GPs and potentially fund diverse VC investments
IADEI welcomes allocators from all types of institutions, including nonprofit endowments, foundations, and healthcare systems, pensions, family offices, and for-profit OCIOs and investment advisory firms.
Organizational Alignment for Success
Collaboration with AIF
IADEI is a featured collaborator, AIF Aligned Organization, and participant with AIF Global and the AIF Institute. IADEI’s involvement in AIF ranges from various forums and symposia, including the 2023 AIF Annual Meeting and Women Investors’ Forum, to the ongoing AIF Women Investors Leadership Steering Committee Collaboration Project.
- Melissa Waller, President, AIF and the AIF Institute
