--- title: Are You Investing Ethically? Evaluating Money Management Firms description: Investing ethically helps communities flourish and provides support to industries that make a positive impact. Learning how to manage your investments... image: https://info.amphil.com/hubfs/o.jpg --- [![AmPhil Logo](https://info.amphil.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/AmPhilizedTrendBiz/images/amphil-logo.png)](https://amphil.com) - [Services](https://amphil.com/services) - [Strategic Planning](https://amphil.com/services/strategic-development-planning/) - [Major Gifts](https://amphil.com/services/majorgifts-accelerator/) - [Direct Mail](https://amphil.com/services/direct-response/) - [Digital Fundraising](https://amphil.com/services/direct-response/) - [Capital Campaigns](https://amphil.com/services/capital-campaigns/) - [Data & Tech Support](https://amphil.com/services/data-technology/) - [Creative Studio](https://amphil.com/services/creative-studio/) - [Talent & Recruiting](https://amphil.com/services/talent-solutions/) - [Donor Advisory](https://amphil.com/services/donoradvisory-services/) - [Planned Giving](https://amphil.com/services/planned-giving/) - [Sectors](https://amphil.com/sectors) - [Faith](https://amphil.com/sectors/faith/) - [Education](https://amphil.com/sectors/education/) - [Policy & Advocacy](https://amphil.com/sectors/policy-advocacy-ideas/) - [Human Services](https://amphil.com/sectors/health-and-human-services/) - [Arts & Culture](https://amphil.com/sectors/arts-culture/) - [Careers](https://amphil.com/careers) - [Events](https://amphil.com/events) - [Master Class](https://centerforcivilsociety.org/master-classes/) - [Conference](https://conference.centerforcivilsociety.com/2024) - [Scotch Talks](https://amphil.com/events/category/scotch-talks/) - [About](https://amphil.com/about-us/) - [About Us](https://amphil.com/about-us/) - [Leadership](https://amphil.com/leadership/) - [Philosophy](https://amphil.com/our-philosophy/) - [Blog](https://info.amphil.com/blog) - [Contact](https://amphil.com/contact-us/) - [Subscribe](https://amphil.com/subscribe/) - [Contact Us](https://amphil.com/contact-us/) Planned Giving ## Are You Investing Ethically? Evaluating Money Management Firms ![Nonprofit investors evaluating a money management firm](https://info.amphil.com/hubfs/o.jpg) As an investment consultancy, Innovest’s role is to perform due diligence on the managers, products, and [strategies](https://amphil.com/services/strategic-development-planning/) that our clients use. Ultimately, our comprehensive qualitative and quantitative approach determines if past performance is luck or skill and if it is repeatable in the future. Many of our faith-based clients also care about the make-up of their portfolio, wanting to ensure that exposure to abortion, pornography, child labor, and other objectionable investments are screened out from the portfolio. Plenty of money management firms are willing to manage a religiously screened portfolio. However, many of these firms uphold values that are misaligned with those of these [faith-based organization clients](https://www.investopedia.com/articles/stocks/12/investing-and-faith.asp). ## Key Questions to Ask Money Management Firms In our due diligence [process](https://amphil.com/services/donoradvisory-services/), we ask key questions to help us understand if money management firms have values that clash with the principles of the Church. We make the following requests: - *Describe your culture.* - *Do you have a faith statement?* - *Describe your firm’s philosophy on charitable donations. Please share a list of organizations receiving donations.* - *Does your benefit plan pay for abortions and abortion transportation across state lines?* - *Do you have a philosophy and statement on [religious freedom](https://philanthropydaily.com/new-faith-and-freedom-index-scores-states-friendliness-to-faith-based-nonprofits/)?* - *In the last five years, has your company sponsored organizations or events that may be in conflict with the Church or Christian values?* - *Does your organization manage money for organizations that may be in conflict with the Church or Christian values?* The answers to these questions can be quite revealing. In fact, many money management organizations promote their “woke” practices publicly. Most, if not all, investment consultants managing money for faith-based organizations fail to ask the questions that we have outlined. This is partly because investment consultants struggle themselves to provide answers that [align with the values](https://talkmarkets.com/content/investing-ideas--strategies/a-simple-guide-to-aligning-nonprofit-values-and-investments?post=353107) of their faith-based clients. We highly recommend that these questions be asked of all your service providers. The world is changing. There are noted instances where service providers have “cancelled” faith-based organizations. Money management and investment consultants happily collect fees and commissions from the religious space. Perhaps it is time to look closely at the values of these firms. --- ### About the Author **![Older man in a suit and glasses](https://info.amphil.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Rich+3%20copy.png?width=180&height=252&name=Rich+3%20copy.png)Richard Todd** is CEO and co-founder of Innovest Portfolio Solutions, which provides investment consulting services to faith-based organizations. He has almost 40 years of experience in investment consulting and currently provides consulting services to institutions and families. Innovest has over 300 clients with assets under advisement of $45 billion and 60 employees. Rich has been a frequent author on fiduciary and investment related matters. He has been a columnist for the *Denver Business Journal* and his thoughts have been published in *Financial Advisor Magazine, US Christian Chamber of Commerce Blog, Legatus Magazine, Family Office Magazine, Chief Executive, Accounting Today, Catholic News Agency, Journal of Compensation and Benefits, Pensions & Investments, PLANSPONSOR*,and *Christian Leadership Alliance Blog,* among others. Rich has been a guest lecturer at conferences across the nation and can be contacted at [rtodd@innovestinc.com](mailto:rtodd@innovestinc.com). More information on Innovest can be found at [www.Innovestinc.com](http://www.Innovestinc.com).   [![Phone and ipad displaying Amphil's ](https://info.amphil.com/hubfs/mockup-of-an-iphone-and-ipad-mini-in-frontal-view-portrait-position-over-a-png-background-a11897%20(2).png)](https://info.amphil.com/majorgifts-ebook) [Download e-book](https://info.amphil.com/majorgifts-ebook) ###### Tags: [Planned Giving](https://info.amphil.com/blog/tag/planned-giving) [Giving Well](https://info.amphil.com/blog/tag/giving-well) [Money Management](https://info.amphil.com/blog/tag/money-management) ### Previous / Next Post [![New major gifts officer (MGO) holding an orange sticky note that says ](https://info.amphil.com/hubfs/AdobeStock_161179512-1.jpeg)](https://info.amphil.com/blog/4-tips-for-a-new-major-gifts-officer) [Feeling Out of Your League?: 4 Tips for New Major Gifts Officers (MGO)](https://info.amphil.com/blog/4-tips-for-a-new-major-gifts-officer) [![Direct marketing trends illustrated by a wooden Gmail envelope sign and @ symbol standing upright on a clean surface](https://info.amphil.com/hubfs/AdobeStock_429850698.jpeg)](https://info.amphil.com/blog/working-smarter-in-direct-mail-and-digital-fundraising) [Lost on Fundraising Trends?: Key Tactics to Boost Direct Response](https://info.amphil.com/blog/working-smarter-in-direct-mail-and-digital-fundraising) ### Interested in our services? 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