Through their portfolios, WES Mariam Assefa Fund, Impact America Fund, and Mission Driven Finance demonstrate how funders and investors can provide mission-driven organizations with flexible funding to innovate and scale up solutions that build more inclusive economies where everyone can contribute and thrive.
“Impact is a team sport and we all have a role to play, for-profit businesses included,” says Chief Community Officer Lauren Grattan. “B Corps embrace the idea that doing good is good business.”
This conversation took place between Elias Crim of Ownership Matters—a biweekly newsletter for the founders and funders of the emerging solidarity economy—and Mission Driven Finance’s co-founder and CEO, David Lynn, and Lauren Grattan, co-founder and Chief Community Officer.
This year, we opened the fellowship application to candidates nationwide. We received applications from 13 states, Washington, DC, and even one from another country!
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.
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.
Tynesia Boyea-Robinson of CapEQ writes about Mission Driven Finance and portfolio company Carter Transportation Group in ImpactAlpha as part of its Impact Voices.
If you missed the Community Finance Fellowship info session, check out the slides and recording here. Share with those you think are interested!
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
There’s a lot of talk about what doesn’t work for Black businesses to help them grow and scale, but what about what is working? A new report from Path to 15|55 and San Francisco Foundation highlights three bright spots: Flexible underwriting; supportive partnership and blended capital.
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.
James Benedict (Left Tackle Capital), Deborah Frieze (Boston Impact Initiative), and Lauren Grattan (Mission Driven Finance) discuss different approaches to develop and empower more representative talent in the investment industry in this ASBC-SVC Spring 2021 session.
It’s so exciting when you get a commitment letter for a loan offer. But how do you know that these terms match the day-to-day needs of your organization?
In this session, Mission Driven Finance CEO David Lynn spoke about potential financing structures for community land trusts and similar affordable housing ventures.
