HighGround Advisors
HighGround Advisors is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1930 that provides OCIO investment management, charitable gift planning, donor-advised funds, minerals and real estate management to 580+ nonprofits, churches, and charitably minded families across $3.6 billion in assets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1930
- HeadquartersDallas, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What HighGround Advisors does
HighGround Advisors is a Texas-incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1930 (originally as the Baptist Foundation of Texas) that provides investment management, charitable gift planning, donor-advised fund administration, minerals management, and real estate management services to nonprofit organizations, churches, ministries, and charitably minded individuals and families. As of the available data it manages $3.6 billion in assets across 580+ client organizations and 7,640 accounts, including over 3.6 million gross mineral acres and 7,000+ producing oil and gas properties spanning 30 U.S. states and Canada. The firm's wholly-owned subsidiary, HighGround Trust Company (chartered 1996 by the Texas Department of Banking), administers charitable trusts and gift annuity accounts.
The core platform is an Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) model delivered through a manager-of-managers architecture that allocates across 23+ proprietary multi-asset class funds (Capstone, Keystone, Cornerstone, Equity Index, Mid Cap, Small Cap, International, Global, Private Equity, Bond, Enhanced Cash, Real Estate, Liquid Real Assets, Private Credit, Private Infrastructure, Marketable Alternatives, and DAF-specific Growth/Balanced/Conservative funds) sub-advised by 30+ institutional managers including PIMCO, Dodge & Cox, Northern Trust Asset Management, Vaughan Nelson, Loomis Sayles, Boston Partners, Westfield Capital, MFS Institutional, and Arrowstreet Capital. A distinguishing feature is biblically responsible investment screening that excludes alcohol, tobacco, gaming, adult entertainment, recreational cannabis, abortion, and other activities inconsistent with Christian values. Operational infrastructure relies on Northern Trust as custodian, SS&C Innovest for trust accounting, and a self-service Salesforce-based Online DAF Portal for donors.
HighGround generates revenue primarily through asset management fees (expense ratios deducted daily from fund NAVs), account administration fees for sub-accounting, consolidated reporting, and tax preparation, and operating expenses on investment funds; notably, no administrative fees are charged on donor-advised funds to maximize charitable impact. Distribution is exclusively direct, executed through a Client Solutions Team and senior account managers serving enterprise nonprofit and church clients, supplemented by event sponsorships (CESA Symposium, National Association of Charitable Gift Planners Conference), thought-leadership content (blog, quarterly newsletter, webinars), and a self-serve DAF portal for individual donors.
HighGround Advisors firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HighGround Advisors
- Legal name
- HighGround Advisors
- Website
- https://highgroundadvisors.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1930
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- HighGround Advisors is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1930 that provides OCIO investment management, charitable gift planning, donor-advised funds, minerals and real estate management to 580+ nonprofits, churches, and charitably minded families across $3.6 billion in assets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HighGround Advisors industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Investment Management
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Open-End Investment Funds (525910), Other Financial Vehicles (52599), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Institutional Consulting RIAs (OCIO/Endowments/Foundations/Pensions) (FSAAACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH), Advisory Portfolio Management (Non-Discretionary) (FSAAABAD)
Keywords
Where HighGround Advisors is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dallas
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
HighGround Advisors business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Asset Management Fees: Fees charged for investment management services based on assets under management across endowment funds, separate accounts, and proprietary investment funds
- Account Administration Fees: Fees for sub-accounting, consolidated reporting, tax preparation, and account support services. Note: No administrative fees charged on donor-advised funds to maximize charitable impact
- Investment Fund Operating Expenses: Cost of investment management and operating expenses deducted daily from net asset value of investment funds, expressed as expense ratios
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Donor-Advised Fund - Individual |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Investment Fund Management |
| Other | Monthly | Share Classes - Capstone and Keystone Funds |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
HighGround Advisors product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HighGround Advisors provides nonprofit-focused investment management, charitable gift planning, and account support services to 580+ nonprofit organizations, churches, ministries, and charitably minded individuals. The firm manages $3.6 billion across 23 proprietary multi-asset class investment funds using a manager-of-managers OCIO model with 30+ institutional subadvisors, combined with biblically responsible investment screening. Complementary services include donor-advised funds, charitable trusts and gift annuities, sub-accounting, tax preparation, minerals management, and real estate management.
Product overview
HighGround Advisors is a nonprofit investment management and trust services company offering a comprehensive suite of services including Asset Management (with 23 proprietary investment funds across multi-asset, equity, fixed income, real assets, private markets, and marketable alternatives), Gift Planning (charitable gift vehicles and trust administration), Account Support Services (sub-accounting, reporting, tax preparation), and Donor-Advised Funds. The firm manages $3.6 billion in assets for over 580 nonprofit clients. Its subsidiary, HighGround Trust Company (chartered 1996), handles charitable trust and gift annuity administration. The investment platform operates as an OCIO model using a manager-of-managers approach with over 30 institutional investment subadvisors, serving endowments, churches, ministries, and charitably minded individuals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Asset Management Services Investment and asset management services for nonprofits including endowment management, OCIO capabilities, manager-of-managers investment approach using over 30 institutional investment managers, minerals management, and real estate management.
- Gift Planning Services Charitable gift planning services including gift development, administration, education, donor relations, and technical resources. Structures personalized gift plans for donors including charitable remainder trusts, gift annuities, and donor-advised funds.
- Account Support Services Account administration services including sub-accounting, consolidated reporting, tax preparation and filing, and audit support for nonprofits, churches, and individual donors.
- Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) Charitable giving accounts enabling donors to give, grow, and grant. Allows tax-deductible contributions of cash or noncash assets that grow tax-free, with donors recommending grants to qualified charities.
- HighGround Capstone Fund Primary commingled multi-asset class investment fund for long-term investment assets with global diversification across public equity, fixed income, and alternative investments.
- HighGround Keystone Fund Multi-asset class endowment fund using only public equity and fixed income funds with no exposure to illiquid or semi-liquid alternative investments.
- HighGround Cornerstone Fund Multi-asset class endowment fund employing only passively managed strategies using public equity funds and third-party mutual funds with no alternative investments.
- HighGround Equity Index Fund
Quantifiable outcome
- Manages $3.6 billion in assets for 580+ nonprofit organizations
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use HighGround Advisors
Customer profileNamed customers21 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
HighGround Advisors technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
HighGround Advisors partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Northern Trust CompanycoreCustodian of assets for all HighGround clients. Settles portfolio trades, calculates fund NAVs, performs daily reconciliation, and serves as securities lending agent. Founded 1889 with $14.8 trillion in assets under custody (as of March 2021).
- SS&C InnovestcoreProvider of trust accounting system with SOC 1 examination for annual review. Risk advisory committee provides risk management insight on transactions and best practices.
- Grant ThorntoncorePerforms annual financial statement audit and SOC 1 examination for HighGround Funds and underlying financial transactions.
- 30+ Institutional Investment ManagerscoreWorld-class investment managers including Vaughan Nelson, Loomis Sayles, Boston Partners, Westfield Capital, MFS Institutional, Arrowstreet Capital, Dodge & Cox, PIMCO, and others providing specialized investment strategies across equity, fixed income, alternatives, and real assets.
- Mission AdvancementminorCollaborated on article exploring how complex assets can play a strategic role in nonprofit fundraising initiatives.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
HighGround Advisors competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
HighGround Advisors social profiles
Digital presenceHighGround Advisors compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
HighGround Advisors financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HighGround Advisors leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles28 records
HighGround Advisors subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
HighGround Advisors funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HighGround Advisors M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about HighGround Advisors
What does HighGround Advisors do?
HighGround Advisors provides nonprofit-focused investment management, charitable gift planning, and account support services to 580+ nonprofit organizations, churches, ministries, and charitably minded individuals. The firm manages $3.6 billion across 23 proprietary multi-asset class investment funds using a manager-of-managers OCIO model with 30+ institutional subadvisors, combined with biblically responsible investment screening. Complementary services include donor-advised funds, charitable trusts and gift annuities, sub-accounting, tax preparation, minerals management, and real estate management.
Is HighGround Advisors a public or private company?
HighGround Advisors is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was HighGround Advisors founded?
HighGround Advisors was founded in 1930. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is HighGround Advisors based?
HighGround Advisors is headquartered in Dallas, United States, in the North America region.
How does HighGround Advisors make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Asset Management Fees are the primary driver. The others are account Administration Fees and investment Fund Operating Expenses.
Does HighGround Advisors have an API?
No public API is recorded for HighGround Advisors.
What industry is HighGround Advisors in?
HighGround Advisors's product category is Nonprofit Investment Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAACAG, Institutional Consulting RIAs (OCIO/Endowments/Foundations/Pensions), with a secondary code of FSAAABAH, Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.