Invest with Values

The Investor's Gateway to Positive Change

The Investor's Gateway to Positive Change

Demystifying CDFIs: How to Invest in a Loan Fund

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Aeris (formerly known as CARS) is an information and ratings service for U.S. community investments—you might think of them as the Moody’s or Standard & Poor’s of the nonprofit finance world. Aeris rates organizations on their financial strength and social impact to help investors make informed decisions. Karen Seabury, Director of Ratings at Aeris, shares […]

Cake, Anyone?.

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For people of wealth and conscience, impact investing offers a compelling and convenient promise—that money can be a force for good even as the owners of capital continue to accrue wealth under the auspices of generally accepted investing practices. Impact investing tells us that the proper “deployment” of our capital will lift the poor out […]

Winter 2016 Issue of Investing For a Better World – Available to Download

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The Winter 2016 issue of Trillium’s Investing For a Better World is available to download. Articles include:• Thinking Capital℠: Jack Robinson’s take on COP21 • Food Waste is an Emerging Sustainable Agriculture Issue • Trillium’s Support of EPA’s Proposed Methane Rule • Engaging Chipotle on Minimum Wage Reform • Measuring the Carbon Impact of our […]

Michael Shuman on Pollinators, Social Enterprise and Remaking Economic Development

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Michael H. Shuman is an economist, attorney, author, entrepreneur, and one of the world’s leading experts on community economics. (He is not, however, a famous rock drummer).  His eighth book, (we think, we’ve lost count) The Local Economy Solution: How Innovative Self-Financing “Pollinator” Enterprises Can Grow Jobs and Prosperity, takes on the economic development profession […]

ImpactAlpha’s #DealFlow for Jan. 8, 2016: Weekly Roundup of Impact Investments

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This week: The investment winds are blowing for both small- and large-scale wind deals; the Kresge Foundation pledges $20 million to early childhood education in Detroit early education; and mom-and-pop shops in Peru and Venezuela may have more access to working capital to expand their businesses. Big Investment in Small-Scale Wind. United Wind has received […]

Impact Investing in 2016: Six Predictions for the Year Ahead

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Knock, knock, knock. That’s the sound of impact investing at the door of mainstream financial markets after a banner year in which the impact investing marketplace grew to $60 billion, new firms entered the arena and important policies changes removed perceived barriers to impact investment practices. Look for impact investing to accelerate in 2016. Here’s a roundup of […]

Financing the Farming of the Future

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“If you care about the poorest, you care about agriculture.” – Bill Gates According to the World Bank, 78 percent of the world’s poor are rural poor, and many of them are farmers. If you are looking for social returns, there are few better places to invest than in agriculture. Yet, we at the Calvert […]

The Four P’s of Impact Investing

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I hope you enjoyed your Holidays with family and friends as much as I did. In talking with mine about what we’re thankful for, health is always is at the top of my list, which then elicits my mother’s story of how my strong health foundation started with her making all my baby food rather […]

SEC Move Could Determine the Fate of Intrastate Crowdfunding

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Will this be the year that intrastate crowdfunding catches fire? The answer may depend upon the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is considering updates to a federal rule that underlies the vast majority of intrastate crowdfunding laws. After a public comment period ends on Monday, the agency will begin deliberating on changes that could make—or […]

Investors Integrate Sustainability into Financial Decision-Making

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According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), a sustainability revolution in the global financial industry is quietly gathering pace. A range of financial institutions are beginning to incorporate sustainable development considerations in their financial decision-making. Investors increasingly realize the need for such forward-looking approach to protect the global economy from climate-induced financial distress. France […]

Social Impact Investing: the Outlook for 2017

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For all its faults, we may look back at 2016 as the year that impact investing was democratized. Once the exclusive domain of wealthy individuals and institutions, impact investing is now within reach of any American with $100 to invest—thanks to the passage of the JOBS Act and new investment vehicles like those offered by […]

The State of Assessment: Why the ‘assess or not’ debate continues and how we can move beyond it (Part 1 of 2)

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NEXTBILLION’S BEST OF 2015 CONTEST Editor’s note: As part of our Most Influential Post of 2015 contest, we are re-publishing the articles that made you think, made you act, or maybe even made your day. This article was the most-viewed post on NextBillion for October 2015. To see the full list of the most popular posts in 2015 […]

Women Around the World Face Hurdles to Financial Inclusion

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  Presented by MetLife Foundation in collaboration with WSJ. Custom Studios, Multipliers of Prosperity takes a look globally at the challenges we face in confronting the issues of financial inclusion. The program dives deep into what’s working, questions what isn’t and finds the possible fixes. Most importantly, the program chronicles the triumphs of people who […]

Closing the Loop: EU Quarrels Over Circular Economy Plan

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BRUSSELS, Belgium, December 30, 2015 (Maximpact News) – The European Commission has adopted a new Circular Economy Package it says will help European businesses and consumers contribute to “closing the loop” of product lifecycles through greater recycling and re-use. But Members of the European Parliament are critical of the new package. The Commission says its […]

A Better Path to Impact Careers for MBAs

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As I stood in front of my booth at the Net Impact Conference Expo, I watched eager MBA students stride between tables. These aren’t your typical MBA students. They’re not interested in climbing the corporate ladder or the highest-paying careers. These MBAs want to use their degrees to create a better world. The exhibit floor was buzzing […]

Give Once, Support Many with America’s Charities New Cause Funds

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  The world of philanthropy is changing – in the workplace and at home.  Donors want more charitable choice.  They want their hard-earned dollars invested in effective, reputable charities that are tackling major issues of critical importance.  They want to amplify the impact of their charitable donations.  And more and more people want to support […]

A look back at 2015

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As I write this it’s 67° F in the Washington, DC area, and it doesn’t seem like the right time for a year-end review. But it’s indeed the end of December, and we’re reflecting on the biggest stories from 2015 and previewing what’s to come in 2016. Vested.org re-launches with better user experience Our online […]

Three Direct Public Offerings You Can Invest in Today

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Starting May 16, all investors, regardless of wealth, will be able to invest in private companies when the last piece of the JOBS Acts goes into effect. In the meantime, there’s an alternative: direct public offerings, or DPOs. These offerings use pre-JOBS Act exemptions to allow private companies to extend investment opportunities to ordinary investors. […]

After Paris: How Can Impact Investors Play the New Carbon Economy?

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Climate-change deniers seem to be shifting from “It’s not real,” to “It’s too late,” as suggested by a recent Wall Street Journal editorial. But even the Journal allowed “What will help is human invention and the entrepreneurial spirit.” So can’t we all just get on with meeting the trillion-dollar challenge and seizing the opportunities for a […]

Do We Have CommonCents?

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It is not often that a corporate foundation will partner with a disruptive [the new buzz word] thinker to  advance a cause, but recently MetLife Foundation did just that. On Monday, December 7, we announced an $8 million, three-year partnership with Dan Ariely, head of Duke University’s Center for Advanced Hindsight, to launch a new laboratory focused […]

Finland bets on SIBs to solve social welfare challenges

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Finland launched its National Impact Investing Task Force at a well-attended, sleek event in Helsinki on 9 December. After having kept a close eye on initiatives like the G8 Social Impact Investment Task Force and its various offshoots for the past several years, Sitra—Finland’s innovation fund, which reports directly to parliament—is leading the group. It […]

ImpactAlpha’s #DealFlow for Dec. 17, 2015: Weekly Roundup of Impact Investments

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This week: “Sapphire” invests first $10 million in LatAm financial services; Leapfrog’s assets leap over $1 billion with OPIC investment; and the Calvert Foundation backs Medical Credit Fund’s strategy for financing developing-world health clinics. “Sapphire” Fund invests $10 million in LatAm financial inclusion. The new SFRE fund has made its first investments, committing just under $10 million in […]

Socially Responsible Investment Gaining Ground in Europe

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Wealthy European investors are beginning to see the long term value in sustainable funds. They are increasingly looking to Socially Responsible Investments (SRI’s), a form of investment that is dynamic and a solution. SRI’s combine financial objectives with social, ethical and environmental issues. Between June 2012 and June 2013, the U.K. saw ethical assets increase […]

Infographic: A Snapshot of Financial Health in 3 Countries

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Presented by MetLife Foundation in collaboration with WSJ. Custom Studios, Multipliers of Prosperity takes a look globally at the challenges we face in confronting the issues of financial inclusion. The program dives deep into what’s working, questions what isn’t and finds the possible fixes. Most importantly, the program chronicles the triumphs of people who have […]

Measuring Environmental Performance in Microfinance

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To meet the SDGs, the industry needs to establish lasting metrics Three of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030 include: (1) ensuring availability and the sustainable management of water and sanitation; (2) ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy; and (3) promoting sustainable agriculture. But what is the role of the microfinance industry in […]

COP21

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The PRI supports the Paris Climate Agreement at COP21, and believes that the agreement is the turning point that investors have been seeking. The PRI applauds that the talks recognised the role of private finance in the climate change discussions.

Reflections from NC’s Shared Gifting

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What is the best way to distribute money amongst a group a non-profits? This is a question that foundations and donors struggle with on a regular basis. Non-profits, the ones on the receiving end of these decisions, don’t often get to take up this question. In an effort to change this common dynamic in philanthropy, […]

Capital Markets Heading for Value 2.0

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“Impact Investing is still a small part of the capital markets. But the returns on these investments are good enough to attract vastly larger amounts of capital. And governments, through financial and other incentives, can further encourage the allocation of capital to investments using environmental, social and governance criteria.” —Robert Glauber, Harvard Kennedy School of […]

Responsible Investing Practice at Northern Trust

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  Northern Trust is an advocate of the highest ESG standards. We fully acknowledge that the long-term financial success of our clients and shareholders depends on a healthy global environment, a stable society and well-functioning companies. In our daily operations and strategic planning, we strive to mitigate our environmental impact and improve our social and governance procedures. As a leading investment manager […]

U.S. Trust Launches Carbon Reserve-Free Strategy

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New Component of Socially Innovative Investing Strategy Expands Access to Investments in Carbon Divestment-compliant Companies   December 16, 2015 /3BL Media/ – U.S. Trust launched a new component of its proprietary and customizable Socially Innovative Investing (S2I) strategy. The Carbon Reserve-Free Strategy (CRF) offers investors who want to express their environmental values the opportunity to invest […]

Enable Impact Helps Two Social Enterprises Raise $250,000 Each

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(3BL Media/Justmeans) – Social enterprises are usually more inclined to innovate and experiment than conventional business models because they are typically designed to fill a gap in existing services not likely to be addressed by private sector companies. A key challenge for early-stage social ventures is how to find relevant investors quickly and cost-effectively. This […]

Securities America Adds Progressive Asset Management with $220 Million in Client Assets

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Securities America, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc., (NYSE MKT: LTS), welcomes Progressive Asset Management (OTC MKT: PAMI), a national full-service financial network with $220 million in client assets. Progressive Asset Management (PAM) brings a 27-year history in the field of socially responsible investing (SRI) to Securities America. Under its former […]

Morgan Stanley’s Sustainable Investment Themes 2016

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Sustainable Investing Themes for 2016: ESG Integration, Climate Change and Inequality by Audrey Choi, CEO of Morgan Stanley’s Institute for Sustainable Investing Sustainable investing is gaining momentum and increasingly taking its place at the center of mainstream investment conversations. We believe we are at a critical moment of sea change where integrating environmental, social and […]

UN Foundation: Now We Must Move with Urgency to Deliver on Promise of Climate Agreement

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PRESS RELEASE – UN Foundation: After much deliberation, an agreement has finally been reached from the UN Climate Conference in Paris. This legally binding agreement will call ambitious climate action on behalf of all member states, to ensure a sustainable future for us all.  Below a statement from the United Nations Foundation regarding this agreement.  […]

Carbon Analysis: Risks and Opportunities in Trillium’s Sustainable Opportunities Strategy

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DECEMBER 14, 2015: Trillium Asset Management recently engaged MSCI ESG Research to analyze the carbon-related characteristics of our Sustainable Opportunities Strategy, in comparison to a portfolio replicating a market benchmark. In addition to assessing the carbon footprint of the Strategy as of September 30, 2015, the MSCI analysis also leverages an extensive set of carbon […]

Net Gain: Bureo Collects Fishing Nets, Creates Skateboards, Fights Pollution

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Ben Kneppers paused as he strolled around a music festival in Santiago, Chile. In front of him was a booth where local kids could repair damaged skateboards, making them ride-able again rather than throwing them away. Kneppers, an environmental consultant originally from Massachusetts, was impressed by the project. And as an avid boarder himself, he admired […]

DealFlow Dec. 4-10, 2015: ImpactAlpha’s Roundup of Investments, Raises and Exits

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This week: Omidyar’s alternative to bitcoin, ImpactAssets’ new notes and a $15 million boost for a UK social enterprise that provides transit services in disadvantaged areas of London. Omidyar Backs Banks’ Alternative to Bitcom. Secure digital currency could dramatically lower the costs of financial services for the poor, making eCurrency Mint an impact investment for Omidyar Network, the […]

Part Two: COP21 and the Effects of Carbon on an Investment Portfolio

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By, Jon Duncan, Head of Responsible Investment, Old Mutual Investment Group Dec 9, 2015 11:30 AM ET Tweet This: Part 2: .@OldMutualSA discussing the impact of carbon on investment portfolios #COP21 http://3bl.me/c9d7f6 Article Read Part One: Jon Duncan, Old Mutual’s Head of Responsible Investment Writes About COP21 and the Effects of Carbon on an Investment Portfolio The […]

Part One: Jon Duncan, Old Mutual’s Head of Responsible Investment Writes About COP21 and the Effects of Carbon on an Investment Portfolio

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Who would want to argue with NASA when they say this about climate change? “97% of climate scientists agree that climate warming trends over the past century are very likely due to human activities, and most of the leading scientific organizations worldwide have issued public statements endorsing this position.” — http://climate.nasa.gov/ Yet, some members of […]

The Challenges of Starting Your First Impact Fund

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Why it’s so hard to launch one and what Capria is doing about it Starting an impact fund is HARD. New fund managers need to overcome major challenges, such as: Convincing investors their investment/impact thesis is credible and they possess enough practical experience to compensate for a nonexistent track record. Effectively managing the fund and […]

Closing The Racial Wealth Gap Through Business Ownership

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A recent report published by FIELD at The Aspen Institute and Asset Funders Network explored how philanthropic funders can help narrow the racial wealth gap in the U.S. through programs that support business ownership. Joyce Klein, director of FIELD and co-author of the report, offers some thoughts on the topic in this guest post. Much […]

Spending Valuable Time on Financial Education

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  Research by the Money Advice Service maintains that adult habits around money can be formed as early as the age of seven. And in this fast evolving technical age, where the whole, traditional transaction of purchase is often unseen (just look at iTunes and Uber), Visa Europe believes that teaching young people money management […]