Impact Investments
What are Impact Investments?
Impact investments are investments made with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and/or environmental impact alongside a financial return. Impact investments can be made across all asset classes and social impact areas. Three characteristics define every impact investment:
- Intentionality: Impact investments are made intentionally to contribute social and/or environmental solutions. This distinguishes impact investing from traditional investing.
- Financial Returns: Impact investments seek a financial return on capital that can range from a return of capital to risk-adjusted market rate. This distinguishes impact investing from philanthropy.
- Impact Measurement: A hallmark of impact investing is the commitment of the investor to measure and report the social and environmental performance of underlying investments.
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Using your Donor Advised Fund to make an Impact Investment
The Jewish Community Foundation provides several opportunities to learn about impact investing and to make these investments through your donor advised fund.
- JCF Impact Investment Pool applies a Jewish values lens across diversified asset classes to support environmental and social impact and to support Israel while also earning a competitive financial return. The pool includes an allocation to local San Diego community development. Invest now.
- Habitat for Humanity Homebuilding Investment Fund. Use funds in your donor advised fund to accelerate the construction of affordable housing in San Diego. Closing soon!
- Women’s Empowerment Fund. Invest money from your donor advised fund to help low income women small business owners grow their businesses and support their families in San Diego. Closed.
– Coming Soon –
Start Up Nation Meets Social Innovation: If you would like to learn more about impact investing and social enterprise in Israel, join us for a special trip, April 20-26, 2020.
We’re working on several other impact investing opportunities in San Diego and Israel.
If you would like to learn more about how to use your Donor Advised Fund for impact investing, including making an angel investment in an impact company, contact Beth Sirull, President and Chief Executive Officer, or Jeremy Pearl, Chief Financial Officer.
Additional Resources
The Global Impact Investing Network provides a wealth of information across asset classes, cause areas, investor types and geographies.
The JLens Investor Network is the only organization that explores investing aligned with Jewish values and serves as the bridge between the Jewish community and the values-based impact investment movement.