Imagine championing social benefits such as those listed below!
–A warehouse buzzing with the assembly of healthy lunches for some of America’s hungry inner-city schoolchildren.
–Families in the developing world using solar lanterns manufactured by entrepreneurs to meet the demand for cheap, safe power.
–Urban doctors using a cloud-based proprietary software application that allows them to remotely monitor rural patients.
Impact investing is an investment in a for-profit or non-profit business that provides a social benefit that impacts the entire planet. Unlike a grant, there is an expectation of a return on capital. Your impact investing (as little as $25) provides capital to such businesses that have explicit social goals, coupled with sound business strategies and impact measurements.
We face worldwide immediate and monumental challenges of hunger, poverty, physical and mental health, inequality and climate change.
Supported social entrepreneurship has turned into a powerful business model, successfully creating solutions that to date, neither government nor philanthropy has been able to provide.
Are there funding failures? Undoubtedly. To consider investing, ask yourself:
- How much social impact do I want?
- How much financial return do I expect?
- How much risk will I accept in pursuit of my desired social and financial return?
Align your capital with an organization that is experienced in smart social investing and in maximizing returns. Affiliate with one that chooses scalable business models that not only can sustain growth, but also help your money become more effective at creating profound value for everyone involved.
Learn more about impact investing by checking out these resources:
- The Case Foundation contains a guide to impact investing. www.casefoundation.org
- Village Capital finds, trains, and funds entrepreneurs solving global problems. www.vilcap.com
- Impact with Wings, By Suzanne Andrews, 2016, features wonderful stories to inspire and mobilize women, angel investors, and entrepreneurs.