Since our beginnings in 2004, Aeris has established risk management standards for private community loan funds (CDFIs) and has helped drive the development of impact measurement and management practices in the CDFI industry—a learning curve now being replicated in the broader impact investment world. In 2013, the Aeris Cloud became the first online platform to help CDFI investors understand the impact and financial performance of their investments. Today, the broader investing field seeks a reliable, high-quality tool to collect, manage, and analyze impact data. Aeris’ unique experience and expertise can help accelerate the pace of impact investing.
The Social Impact Fund is an early-stage impact investing fund supporting community-based social enterprises with innovative solutions to social and economic barriers to health. The success metrics are accelerating revenue and impact growth of early stage enterprises and having positive social impact in communities in terms of reducing access to healthcare barriers, food and economic insecurity and recidivism. The Fund has deployed $20M in funding such as loans, equity, tailored products, grants, and hybrids to SMEs.
The Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy promotes more effective philanthropy and strengthens the nonprofit sector through research that informs philanthropic decision-making and public policy to advance community problem solving. We have long held discussions and hosted discussions on the topic of impact investing as a way to connect practitioners and researchers together and support the growing infrastructure in this space.
We are an independent, Minneapolis-based strategic, financial, and impact investing firm
empowering purpose-driven organizations that drive positive social impact in their communities
CIM partners with responsible lenders to finance small businesses in line with the Small Business Borrowers’ Bill of Rights and to effect economic, environmental, and social change. Since fund inception, we have provided financing to 4,200 U.S. small businesses which represent $4 billion in total revenue. These businesses have created 6,000 new jobs from loan proceeds with 45,000 jobs maintained and 131,000 lives affected. CIM also tracks impact metrics that are derivative of the core impact objective: to increase access to capital for underserved demographics and support impact businesses. Across the portfolio, CIM funds 2-3x more women-, minority-, and veteran-owned businesses than banks and financial institutions with an aggregate figure of 50% of the loan portfolio lent to WMV-owned businesses. CIM has additionally built an Impact Assessment system to identify and report on impact businesses across 8 areas of impact with 79 unique tags. These impact businesses expressly seek to create a positive social, environmental, or economic change in their community. 21% of the CIM portfolio (>800 loans) are lent to impact businesses in 8 categories: community health and safety, education and youth development, social justice, environmental sustainability, financial inclusion, healthy food systems, and clean energy and efficiency.
We work together with people and organizations to improve the health and well-being of residents in our community, especially those that have been historically under-resourced.
Giving Strong is a social impact consulting firm that advises foundations, corporations, and other social enterprises on philanthropic strategies and communications to reach their impact goals. Specialties in place-based work, convening community, and developing thought leadership.
