U.S. College Endowments Lost 24 Percent in Six Months

Commonfund, which provides nonprofit organizations with investment information and professional development programs, traditionally reports on these numbers only once a year.

However, the group prepared this rare half-year study between January and February 2009 to assist investment committees in making changes to cope with extremely difficult market conditions. "Some people like the comfort of knowing they are not they are not alone," Griswold said.