Harvard Endowment Grows to $53.2 Billion with 9.6% Returns Amid Second-Highest Donations and Decline

Oct 17, 2024, 05:35 PM

Harvard University's endowment grew to $53.2 billion after the Harvard Management Company reported a 9.6 percent return on its investments for fiscal year 2024. This marks the first increase in the endowment since 2021. Despite this growth, Harvard experienced a significant decline in donations, which fell by 15% to less than $1.2 billion. The drop in philanthropic contributions, amounting to $151 million, was attributed to alumni anger over the university's handling of campus antisemitism and other administrative issues. Several billionaire donors publicly severed ties with the institution, contributing to the decrease in donations. Nevertheless, Harvard reported the second-highest donations in its history.