Many of our team are on the spring conference circuit. If you see us, be sure to say hi!
Where to find the MDF team this 2025 spring conference season
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News & insights
Check out the latest
Fifty by Fifty Employee Ownership News: Employee Ownership Catalyst Fund Preserves Local Businesses and Jobs
Project Equity and Mission Driven Finance announced on Labor Day the launch of the Employee Ownership Catalyst Fund, an evergreen debt fund that will offer flexible financing to businesses preparing for—or executing—an employee ownership transition. The fund targets businesses across the U.S. with 25 to 100-plus employees, particularly those employing frontline, low-wage workers and workers of color.
Project Equity launches new financing option to help local businesses build for the future
September 2, 2021 [Oakland, CA] —This Labor Day, small businesses have a new resource that could help them rebuild from the pandemic and secure their legacies while providing long-term careers for their employees. Project Equity, a national leader in the movement to...
Opinion: Here’s how we can help middle-income families in San Diego buy homes
How can investors and local business and nonprofit leaders address housing — and in particular attainable homeownership — through public-private partnerships? Our Chief Investment Officer Louie Nguyen looks at various approaches.
WEPOWER launches $1.5 million fund to invest in Black and Latinx entrepreneurs in North St. Louis
Mission Driven Finance is a founding partner of Elevate/Elevar Capital and will continue to support with fund administration.
San Diego Funders Invest $2 Million in Affordable Housing at City Heights Transit Plaza
With a new collaborative investment, the area near Normal Heights and City Heights is one step closer to having more affordable housing. A hundred and ninety affordable housing units are planned for the nearly 20,000-square-foot piece of land next to the City Heights Transit Plaza, at the corner of El Cajon Boulevard and 40th Street.
Announcing some exciting (and bittersweet) team changes
As Mission Driven Finance celebrates its fifth year flowing capital to community, we have seen our company grow and change many times, especially given our focus on being a deliberately developmental organization. This season feels like one of great change even with that mindset, and we want to make sure you learn about the latest team changes at Mission Driven Finance.
Community Finance Fellowship 2021 info session
If you missed the Community Finance Fellowship info session, check out the slides and recording here. Share with those you think are interested!
Congresswoman Sara Jacobs’ Request for $1 Million in Child Care Funding for San Diego County Included in FY 2022 House Appropriations Bill
The $1 million in federal funding for the Child Care Expansion Fund would be used by the County of San Diego to address the acute shortage of child care by helping small child care businesses expand. Mission Driven Finance, working with the County of San Diego and Congresswoman Jacobs, looks forward to filling the financial gaps and providing the support providers need to expand to care for more children and help more parents get back to work.
Social Impact Investing with David Cooper and Maggie Spicer
In this episode of the Essential Ingredients podcast powered by NextGenChef, host Justine Reichman talks with David Cooper—our senior portfolio advisor and co-founder of the 86 Fund—and fellow co-founder Maggie Spicer about impact investments and charitable capital investments through donor-advised funds (DAFs).
The Freedom100 Fund shows we can treat immigrants with dignity, not detention
Through a combination of impact-first finance, a coalition of dedicated philanthropic and impact investors, and an incredible organization advocating for immigrant dignity, 100 people are now free from immigrant prison.
Apis & Heritage Capital Partners Announces Initial Close of $30 Million to Turn Businesses with Workforces of Color into Employee-Owned Firms
Mission Driven Finance is delighted to support our client-partners at Apis & Heritage on their first fund to build wealth for workers of color through employee ownership.
Credit Sips: From Inclusive Theory to Inclusive Impact Investing
Sandhya Nakhasi of Community Credit Lab, Eric Horvath of Common Future, and Lauren Grattan of Mission Driven Finance discuss how they are using impact investing to build inclusive financial systems by centering communities.
Our impact investing partnerships with The San Diego Foundation
Mission Driven Finance partners with The San Diego Foundation to empower communities through new models of investing in social change.
Transformative 25 Funds Creative Financing
Fund managers from Fair Food Network, Homestake Venture Partners, Flexible Capital Fund, Kachuwa Impact Fund, and Mission Driven Finance engage in a lively discussion about creative financing and integrated capital strategies. Moderated by Esther Park, CEO of Cienega Capital.
Catalyst’s Impact Investing Series: Strategic investments in small businesses to sustain resilient communities
Hear from peer funders and investors on lessons learned in providing entrepreneurship funding and technical assistance for small businesses. Leave with practical strategies that you can explore and implement in your post-COVID resiliency funding.
Nano PharmaSolutions featured in San Diego Business Journal
The San Diego Business Journal’s Fred Grier recently highlighted Kay Olmstead and Nano PharmaSolutions, Inc., which Realize Impact invested in through the Mission Driven Finance fund based on donor/investor recommendations.
Asian Pacific Islander Businesses of the Year Awards 2021
In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the San Diego Business Journal and Asian Business Association San Diego presented Asian Pacific Islander Businesses of the Year Awards and a panel discussion that included our Chief Investment Officer Louie Nguyen. Congratulations to portfolio company Microtek took home the “Most Innovative” Business of the Year Award.
Philanthropy Now podcast: Multiplying grantmaking power with impact investing
Hear how impact investing differs from traditional grantmaking, and how this philanthropic tool leverages financial capital and human resources to get important community projects off the ground. Learn how Mission Driven Finance, Social Finance, and Silicon Valley Community Foundation use this model to support especially underserved communities and address inequities in affordable housing, education, and more.
