In a world of challenges, I’m reenergized by meeting people daring to invest in their communities in new ways.
Emerging fund managers, especially those building in alternative asset classes or from underrepresented backgrounds, are driven and tenacious—but rarely aware of all the hidden challenges and unspoken rules for launching and growing funds.
To be frank, the playing field is tilted, with potholes that can trip up even the most promising managers. Our stance: Filling in these potholes positions good fund managers to empower their communities, creating a more inclusive and robust economy.
Filling capital gaps
Key hurdles like capital, timing, and proof gaps prevent innovative managers from scaling their firms. To address these issues, we’ve been quietly rolling out a suite of financial products and back-office services, including MDF Capital Partners and Bold Line Capital (this ImpactAlpha feature explains the joyously nerdy value of capital call lines of credit).
MDF Capital Partners provided the right-sized capital at the right time to MURAL Real Estate Partners, a full-service real estate company focusing on mixed-use revitalization in underinvested markets, to maintain momentum across projects with different timing constraints.
On that point, we are deploying MDF Capital Partners funds through the end of the year to great managers like Robin at MURAL. Fund managers and real estate project sponsors looking for funding can reach out to my colleague Dustin Shay at dustin@missiondrivenfinance.com.
Filling other potholes
In addition to capital products, we’ve also been soft-launching crucial back-office support and fund management services, which we are opening up to a wider group this fall.
If you know either capital allocators (investors, foundations, corporate sponsors, etc.) or capital entrepreneurs (emerging fund managers, real estate project sponsors, etc.) looking for a partner to help them navigate these complexities and grow their impact, please have them reach out to launch@missiondrivenfinance.com.
We all need the next generation of impact managers, and our team is here to help them grow.
Be well and take care of one another,
Lauren Grattan
Co-founder & Chief Community Officer
P.S. While we are clearly very excited about our work with emerging managers, we haven’t stopped supporting small businesses and building an inclusive economy with peers. Help us share these quick guides with your networks:
