What do essentials like clean water, affordable housing, and thriving local economies have in common? They’re all supported by community development efforts. Loan guarantees are one of the tools RWJF uses to help organizations in community investment access the funding they need to succeed. In 2020, RWJF was an original investor in the Community Investment Guarantee Pool (CIGP)—a first-of-its-kind financial model created by The Kresge Foundation and managed by Locus—to help local leaders reach funders and investors for community development projects. Over the last four years, CIGP has secured capital for many projects working to make communities healthier. We’re glad to be a part of this effort.
Impact Investments at RWJF
Non-profit Organizations
Using impact investments to improve health, equity, and opportunity in places that have experienced disinvestment.
About us
Using impact investments to improve health, racial equity, and economic opportunity for communities, small business owners, and households that historically have experienced a lack of investment.
- Website
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https://www.rwjf.org/impactinvestments
External link for Impact Investments at RWJF
- Industry
- Non-profit Organizations
- Company size
- 201-500 employees
Updates
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What happens when funders flip a traditional approach to lending on its head? Invest Appalachia Fund saw a set of challenges in the Appalachian region and found an opportunity to address barriers to economic prosperity. Andrew Crosson, CEO of Invest Appalachia says, “Rather than starting with an investment strategy and finding places to put capital, we did the opposite, figuring out what needed money and how to design a vehicle that would meet those needs.” RWJF is proud to invest in and support the IA Fund's efforts to ensure all communities can thrive. Read more about their multifaceted work in Forbes: https://lnkd.in/e4B34GAf
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Zoila Jennings reminds us that understanding the human side of communities and what brings existing residents joy is part of how community development efforts can be truly effective. That’s one reason our team at RWJF invests in community development financial institutions (CDFIs) that have the knowledge and relationships needed to ensure community voices, desires, and opinions are centered in development efforts that cultivate these feelings in the places we call home. What makes you and your family joyful in your community? Drop your responses in the comments. ⬇️
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Looking forward to the Opportunity Finance Network’s conference next month! Kimberlee Cornett and Claire Morduch will represent our team in L.A. for this important convening of community development financial institutions. Will you be attending as well?
We're officially 40 days out from the #OFN40 Conference! To commemorate the moment, we'll give insights into the past, present, and future of the CDFI industry using #40daystoOFN40. The CDFI industry's origins are deeply tied to the Civil Rights Movement and the War on Poverty. In the 1960s, activists highlighted how economic inequality was a form of racial discrimination. CDFIs emerged to address the gap, creating financial pathways for under-resourced communities that had been left behind.
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RWJF envisions flourishing communities where everyone has access to clean drinking water and safe, stable housing; where jobs pay a living wage; and where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to thrive. And we believe that we can achieve this goal in our lifetimes. To make this vision a reality, RWJF uses impact investments as one tool to drive meaningful change and improve health and economic opportunity for communities, small business owners, and households that historically have experienced a lack of investment. Our team uses deposits, loans, equity investments, and guarantees alongside other investors to focus on three areas: 1️⃣ Advancing Racial Equity 2️⃣ Strengthening the Community Development Finance System 3️⃣ Program-Directed Investments to complement RWJF's grantmaking work Have a question about any of these focus areas? Drop them in the comments section below or learn more here: https://lnkd.in/e63Gb9nq
Impact Investments
rwjf.org
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Homeownership is a great way for individuals and families to achieve financial security. But with over a third of people in the U.S. renting their homes, what can be done to ensure renters don’t miss out on this wealth-building opportunity? Enter the Enterprise Community Partners Renter Wealth Creation Fund. The Fund offers renters a chance to accumulate savings and build wealth through cash rewards for on-time rent payments and sharing in a portion of future property appreciation. In 2022, RWJF made a $5M investment to support this unique solution. Learn more about this investment: https://rwjf.ws/3E9vJsx
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Looking forward to the Coalition for Home Repair’s webinar, The State and Ambition of Home Repair Programs in the US, taking place this Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. ET! Five organizations (who are also our grantees) will be sharing details about their work in the home repair field and how it contributes to efforts to preserve homeownership for families across the nation. Register here to tune into the conversation: https://lnkd.in/ei_6PxXW
The State and Ambition of Home Repair Programs in the US
coalitionforhomerepair.org
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It’s wonderful to see the positive impact community development credit unions (CDCUs) have on the neighborhoods and residents they serve! CDCUs are vital organizations that provide financing in places historically overlooked by the traditional finance sector. In 2022, RWJF provided a $4M guarantee to Inclusiv, enhancing its ability to provide capital to CDCUs working in communities of color and those with low incomes. We’re happy to support this important work.
Inclusiv Celebrates National Black Business Month: CDCUs like St. Louis Community Credit Union (SLCCU), the largest CDFI and Black owned credit union in Missouri, provide inclusive capital to local businesses, strengthening local economies and asset building opportunities. St. Louis Community CU recently expanded their small business lending and development services with investments from the Inclusiv Racial Equity Investment. Since inception of the credit union’s business lending services, SLCCU has closed on more than $35 million in loans. More than 90% of total loans originated have been made to Black-owned businesses such as Property Shoppers, LLC, who provides affordable housing options in St. Louis. SLCCU works closely with the St. Louis Small Business Empowerment Center to provide financial coaching sessions, classes, and in-kind support to targeted cohorts of entrepreneurs through select community partnerships. These mission aligned organizations include Cortex, St. Louis Northside Economic Empowerment Center, and Delmar Main Street. Read more about St. Louis Community CU and how they are strengthening Black business ownership and building communities of belonging: https://ow.ly/6Ihx50Tb750
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Impact Investments at RWJF reposted this
Impact Finance Founder | QALY-WALY Investor | Joan Bavaria Award | Aspen Fellow | Director, CIO & Rabble Rouser | Fmr Deputy Secretary of Commerce | w/ ALS
😎 We’re going, going… back, back… to Cali, Cali! 🌴🌊 I guess my skepticism was misplaced because #SOCAP24 called, and “WE’RE IN!” ImpactAlpha Yuri Vaysgant’s documentary short about my #JourneyInImpact as the cofounder of ACTIVEST Partners in Equity and SRF Impact while also surviving #ALS will premiere at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in Downtown San Francisco on October 29th. Check out the trailer, and if you’re heading to #SOCAP, check out the premiere! 🤜🏾🤛🏼 to David Bank, Zuleyma Bebell and Kimberlee Cornett for continuing to believe that my story is one worth telling. ❤️ 🙏🏾s and 🫶🏾s to all my Co's who continue to inspire me every day with their passion and commitment to impact! Micah Gilmer Talib Graves-Manns Wilson Lester Dorian Burton Brittany Bennett Weston Ellen Ward Homero Radway Lee Coker Charles Rush Gilberto Cabrera Martin Eakes and Edna Wallace … Love y'all! #impactinvesting #esginvesting #socialentrepreneurship #investing SOCAP Global #impinv #GOODTRBL
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Tune in Sept 17 to hear our Lead Impact Investment Officer Zoila Jennings talk to experts from The Bridgespan Group, Surge Institute, and Greater Share about how funders can support leaders with lived experience in the communities they serve. Zoila led the charge on RWJF’s recent grants to a cohort of community development organizations undergoing leadership transitions and will be sharing key insights from her efforts in this webinar. Register today! https://lnkd.in/eD2GwZKm
After many years of underrepresentation, more #BIPOC leaders in top nonprofit leadership positions is a win for the social sector. But incoming leaders often lack critical support in their new roles. Losing those leaders now is a profound loss for the sector and threatens the progress made in recent years. Fortunately, funders can help combat this systemic lack of support. 💻#Webinar: #Nonprofit #LeadershipTransitions, Four Ways Funders Can Support Leaders of Color ⏰ Sept. 17, 2024 at 1:00 PM ET - Sign up 📝 Sign up: https://lnkd.in/eD2GwZKm In this webinar, we’ll discuss four ways #philanthropy can support proximate leaders during leadership transitions: - Lengthen the funding runway, providing flexible unrestricted grants - Build the visibility and platform of leaders and connect them to networks - Support peer exchange, mentorship, executive coaching, and leader wellbeing - Support targeted, self-directed capacity building for leaders, boards, and teams 🗨 Hosted by Bridgespan's Dorothy Jones and Nate Wong, this session will feature the insights of our panelists Zoila Jennings at Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Carmita Semaan at Surge Institute, and Kim Dempsey (she/her) at Greater Share. 📨 Can't make it live? Sign up anyway - we'll send you a video and resources after the session.
Webinar: "Nonprofit Leadership Transitions: Four Ways Funders Can Support Leaders of Color"
bridgespan.zoom.us