Borrowers, Community Engagement, Investors

Building a New, More Equitable Normal for Small Business and Nonprofits

Posted by Tyana Smith
On June 10, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated the effects of centuries of racist policies. If we don’t act fast, this crisis will rob our communities of vibrancy, diversity, and strength for many generations to come. The current global recognition of the deep roots of racism reinforces how critical it is to use all the tools in one’s toolbox to advance racial justice. As such, finance can and should be used as a tool for change in advancing economic and health equity in our communities. Together, we can turn the tide.

Borrowers, Investors

Finding the way back through evidence-based holistic treatment

Posted by Wilda Wong
On April 21, 2020

The Way Back uses trauma-informed care in its client activities—clinical groups, education groups, mindfulness meditation, relapse prevention groups, codependency groups, anger management, emotional regulation, and individual psychotherapy. “We are training men to be better fathers, better husbands, better employees, to stay out of prison, to work, to communicate,” says The Way Back Executive Director Chris Thomas, a licensed therapist who has been sober for 25 years. “Men are an important part of family structure, and addiction is a family disease.”

Borrowers, Investors, Resources

COVID-19 Letter to Borrowers

Posted by Lauren Grattan
On March 18, 2020

We're sharing with you—our community—the same message for small businesses and nonprofits that we provided to our active borrowers. During this challenging time, stay true to your values and support each other. None of us will come out of this unchanged. See our COVID-19 resources for small businesses and nonprofits.

Investors, News

AdvanceHER: Unlocking Opportunities for Women and Girls in San Diego and Abroad

Posted by Tyana Smith
On March 3, 2020

In our quest to increase economic opportunity for underestimated groups, we knew we’d want to emphasize supporting women and girls. With a diverse and largely female team, empowering more women has always felt natural to us. We’ve long wanted to connect the resources and needs of our community in new intentional ways that make a real impact on gender inequality.

Investors, News

Mission Driven Finance Selected as an ImpactAssets 50 2020 Emerging Impact Manager

Posted by Wilda Wong
On February 25, 2020

Mission Driven Finance has been named as an Emerging Impact Manager in ImpactAssets' IA50 2020, a publicly available, online database for impact investors, family offices, financial advisors and institutional investors that features a diversified listing of private capital fund managers that deliver social and environmental impact as well as financial returns. The new IA 50 Emerging Impact Manager category spotlights newer fund managers that demonstrate potential to create meaningful impact. "We are honored to be selected for inclusion in the new Emerging category, especially among such distinguished firms," said Mission Driven Finance CEO David Lynn.

Investors

How One San Diego Philanthropist is Using Impact Investing to Create a Better Future [Interview]

Posted by Tyana Smith
On August 28, 2019

As lead investors in our Homebuilding Investment Fund, Kara Ballester and her husband Andy were instrumental in jumpstarting our efforts to accelerate affordable housing with San Diego Habitat for Humanity. We wanted to know—what motivated Kara to invest in affordable homeownership, and what has her experience with impact investing been like? We like to kick […]

Investors, Resources

How Can We Make Investing in Our Community a Great Investment? Flip the Traditional Finance Model on Its Head.

Posted by Tyana Smith
On July 22, 2019

When we first launched Mission Driven Finance, we developed the Advance Fund with one primary question in mind: how can we make investing in our community a great investment? The answer we found is to reimagine and reinvent finance to put the community’s needs first. We discovered incredible businesses and nonprofits committed to their communities […]

Borrowers, Investors, News

New Financing Model Unlocks Millions to Build Affordable Homes

Posted by Tyana Smith
On May 16, 2019

Investors in non-traditional fund address San Diego’s housing crisis (San Diego)—May 16, 2019—Today, Mission Driven Finance announces that investors have contributed more than $1 million to a revolutionary fund that will support the construction of affordable homes for low-income families. Investors concerned about the region’s housing crisis contributed to Mission Driven Finance’s Homebuilding Investment Fund […]

Investors, News

Legacy Arts: Intentional Impact Investing

Posted by Lauren Grattan
On October 17, 2018

We were delighted to share with Legacy Arts Magazine how impact investing can support wealth managers, financial planners, and advisors to offer their clients new strategies to craft a legacy with meaning. Many charitably-minded individuals are turning to impact investing to generate real social and environmental change in their communities, while simultaneously supporting their financial […]