Organization
Vanguard 500 Index Fund
Vanguard index mutual fund that tracks the S&P 500; launched in 1976 as First Index Investment Trust, the first index mutual fund for individual investors.
- Dates
- 31 Aug 1976 –
- Also known as
- First Index Investment Trust, Vanguard Index Trust 500 Portfolio
Connections 3
founded by
-
The Vanguard Group
1976
Primary record
2
Launched as First Index Investment Trust.
-
John C. Bogle
31 Aug 1976
Primary record
3
Launched with a public offering on 31 August 1976 that raised a little more than $11 million.
owns a stake in
-
The Vanguard Group
14.03%, as of 31 Dec 2025
Primary record
1
A capital contribution of $35,071,000, which the SAI gives as 14.03% of Vanguard’s capitalization. Each Vanguard fund can be called on to invest up to 0.40% of its net assets in Vanguard, which the funds jointly own.
Timeline 3 dates
- 1976 The Vanguard Group founded Vanguard 500 Index Fund
- 31 Aug 1976 – Vanguard 500 Index Fund
- 31 Aug 1976 John C. Bogle founded Vanguard 500 Index Fund
Proof 3 sources
-
Vanguard Index Funds prospectuses and statement of additional information (Form 485BPOS), 28 April 2026, Vanguard Index Funds, 28 Apr 2026.
Primary record
As of December 31, 2025, the Funds had contributed capital to Vanguard as follows:
-
Vanguard's history, The Vanguard Group.
Primary record
Vanguard democratizes mutual fund indexing with its First Index Investment Trust (now Vanguard 500 Index Fund) offering lower costs and broad diversification to individual investors for the first time.
-
50 years. 50 facts. Indexing since 1976., The Vanguard Group, 2 Apr 2026.
Primary record
When John C. Bogle launched Vanguard 500 Index Fund on August 31, 1976, as First Index Investment Trust, he gave individual investors access to a strategy previously available only to institutional investors.
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