Glossary
A financially-sustainable enterprise that operates with a social and/or environmental mission.
Our partner the Global Impact Investing Network defines impact investing as investments made into companies, organizations, and funds with the intention to generate measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. Impact investments can be made in both emerging and developed markets, and target a range of returns from below market to market rate, depending upon the circumstances. Impact investors actively seek to place capital in businesses and funds that can harness the positive power of enterprise.
A standardized impact plan that documents intent and impact statement that tracks performance. Social impact measurement provides benchmarks and mechanisms to asses, monitor and track the social impact of an investment.
A matched savings account program designed to help low-income people accumulate savings and leverage additional assets, such as a home or a small business. The program is federally-recognized, and savings are matched by public and private donations. Non-profits administer IDAs in partnership with a regulated financial institution.
The amount charged, expressed as a percentage of principal, by a lender to a borrower with respect to a loan. Interest paid on program-related investments (PRIs) is subsumed into the corpus of the foundation and increases the foundation's payout requirement during the period in which it was received.
An organization that raises funds from depositors or investors, including individuals and organizations, and re-lends these funds to other individuals and organizations. Non-profit financial intermediaries raise funds through grants, program-related investments, and social investments and re-lend to non-profit or other organizations that will undertake projects such as affordable housing development or targeted business assistance.
The goal of an investor with respect to how they weight financial return and social and/or environmental impact in their investment goals, e.g., balancing both financial returns and impact or optimizing one while maintaining a minimum target (or "floor") for the other.
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