Social Finance Impact First Fund

Our Approach

A man stands outdoors with a child sitting on his shoulders, both smiling. They are in a lush, green garden with trees in the background.

The Social Finance Impact First Fund provides a holistic, diversified portfolio of catalytic investments for individuals and institutions looking for a straightforward and efficient way to pursue impact-first investment opportunities. The Fund targets early-stage funds and enterprises that require impact-first investment to seed and grow promising strategies. We hold ourselves accountable for providing flexible, low-cost capital aligned with funds’ needs and for providing non-monetary supports that enable funds and their investees to flourish.

The Fund was developed to address the barriers that donor-advised funds (DAFs), community and private foundations, PRI-makers, and other philanthropic capital investors face when pursuing innovative funds and investment strategies that support meaningful and measurable change for people and the planet.

Goals

  • Unlock capital for impact-first investments, i.e. investments that prioritize impact. Create a one-stop solution that makes it easy for investors to invest in impact-first investments. Offer a low minimum investment threshold and utilize an asset allocation approach that facilitates investment from investors with varied needs for liquidity.
  • Support measurable, positive impact for people and planet. Source and vet meaningful impact-first investments. Conduct rigorous diligence.
  • Address persistent gaps in financing for early-stage funds and enterprises that have high-impact potential. Provide flexible, reasonably priced capital to funds that are not yet able to attract conventional investment with the terms they need to grow.
  • Create wealth and opportunity for people from marginalized groups. Invest in funds and managers who are from and/or serve low-income communities of color, rural communities, and other under-resourced and underestimated groups.
  • Evolve and grow the field. Use what we learn to inform and evolve our practice, build the field, and catalyze impact-first investing at scale.

 

 

Investment Themes

Social impact

The fund’s social portfolio includes investments related to affordable housing, economic mobility, financial inclusion, and workforce development.

Environmental impact

The fund’s environmental portfolio includes investments related to the energy transition, clean water, climate justice, and sustainable agriculture.

Featured Investments

See All Work

Blackstar Stability Distressed Debt Fund
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Blackstar Stability Distressed Debt Fund

A Black-owned and -led real estate investment fund supporting and preserving single-family home ownership and building wealth.

Afterglow Climate Justice Fund
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Afterglow Climate Justice Fund

A private debt fund investing in organizations developing and launching new projects that benefit marginalized communities disproportionately impacted by climate change.

RuralWorks Partners
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RuralWorks

A rural business investment company and investment fund that provides essential growth capital to businesses that create good jobs and opportunity in rural communities and address climate change.

News

Important Notice and Disclosures