Impact Investing Is Hot: Why Am I Worried?
ON January 10, 2018
Impact Investing Is Hot: Why Am I Worried?
In this article for Minnesota Council on Foundation’s Giving Form I describe the challenges I see facing the field of impact investing.
After decades crying in the wilderness, I should be happy now that investing for good has hit the mainstream. Right? Mainly, I’m optimistic about the flood of philanthropically minded investors shifting their resources in pursuit of their mission, beyond the 5 percent customary for most foundations.
Perhaps it’s akin to sending your children off to college to live their independent, adult lives. I’m hopeful, but I worry.As it moves into the mainstream, impact investing faces four threats: impact washing, insufficient diversity, lack of transparency, and risk aversion
Read on
What I'm doing now
Top of my mind these days is investing in line with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion values. Many institutions promised bold moves after George Floyd was murdered. Who is following through and doing this well? Racial justice requires new pathways for capital flows. I’m excited to be part of the McKnight Foundation’s Groundbreak Coalition, aiming to deploy $2b in flexible capital over 10 years to disrupt the status quo. In Minnesota we are a generous state, a charitable state, a hard-working state: we need to try new approaches to create that famous quality of life for all. We are leading a session on Place Based Impact Investing at the Mission Investors Exchange conference in Baltimore. Reach out if you’ll be there so I can include you in the informal MN meet-ups.
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