March 2024: Recently Announced Conference Speakers & New Members

The Mission Investors Exchange (MIE) 2024 National Conference is just weeks away, and we have announced several exciting conference details, including a lineup of speakers that includes La June Montgomery Tabron, president & CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, visionary entrepreneur Jay Brown, co-founder & vice chairman of Roc Nation, and many more! You can learn more about our speakers, networking sessions, agenda, and other conference details by visiting our conference website. Also, take a look at our recently announced conference excursions. From Hollywood Sign hikes and museum tours to a baseball game and a chamber concert, conference registrants are invited to participate in group excursions in Los Angeles to connect with the vibrant culture and culinary offerings of the city and enjoy time with fellow conference-goers, too.

We hope you'll join the MIE community May 7-9 at the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE as we come together to explore and celebrate the unique role of philanthropy in impact investing and drive positive change. General conference questions should be directed to [email protected].

The California Endowment, an MIE member and leading health foundation with approximately $4 billion in assets, has embarked on a groundbreaking journey announced in February to align its entire investment portfolio with its mission and values. 

“This commitment, unprecedented in scale among U.S. foundations, signifies a bold step towards fostering a more inclusive economy and serving as a beacon for other philanthropic institutions,” said Matt Onek, president & CEO of MIE. “Dedicating all assets to impact investing allows the foundation to maximize its potential to create meaningful change.”

Through a strategic approach encompassing diverse investment strategies, impact assessment frameworks, and a decade-long evolution towards socially conscious investing, the Endowment seeks to amplify its impact beyond traditional grantmaking. By leveraging its institutional power and assets, the Endowment aims to address systemic injustices and advance health and racial equity in communities across California. 

“Imagine if every private foundation and every endowment were mission investors, then that capital would show up in the kind of communities that are suffering at the point of economic injustice,” Robert K. Ross, M.D., president & CEO of the Endowment, said “That constitutes both a strategic and moral reason to make this transition. It is both the smart and right thing to do for philanthropy.”

There will be more opportunity to hear about this inspirational decision at the MIE 2024 National Conference May 7-9 in Los Angeles where the Endowment is leading as our Presenting Sponsor, and Dr. Ross is serving as co-chair.

MIE is looking for motivated candidates for the following role: 

• Coordinator, Communications & Marketing

ImpactAssets 50 - Impact Fund Manager Showcase

The newly released 13th edition of the ImpactAssets 50 (IA 50) details experienced and emerging impact fund managers around the globe committed to generating positive impact. The 155 fund managers selected to the IA 50 represent a wide range of impact investment approaches across geographies, sectors and asset classes.

The Social Justice Investor: Advance Your Values While Building Wealth, Whether a Few Dollars or Millions

The Social Justice Investor, due out in April by Andrea Longton, CPA, is a step-by-step guide to personal finance for those interested in building wealth while also aligning their finance decisions with their values, intentions, and commitments to social justice. Longton includes real-life stories from 20 leaders in the impact investing field including Beth Bafford, Monique Aiken, Fran Seegull, Rachel Robasciotti, Sonya Dreizler, Phuong Luong, Bill Bynum, Janine Firpo, Morgan Simon, Christina Travers, Cat Berman, and Dr. Stephanie Gripne, among others. Longton is an award-winning author and professional social justice investor who has raised over $1 billion for social justice investments in the United States and has advised on another $1.5 billion worldwide. Her professional experiences include positions at Opportunity Finance Network, Freddie Mac, Capital Impact Partners (now Momentus Capital), and Delphos International.

A Spend-Out Foundation Asks, ‘What is Enough?’
Feb. 14, ImpactAlpha

California Endowment Goes ‘All-In’ on Impact
Feb. 21, ImpactAlpha

Open Society Foundations’ Soros Economic Development Fund Commits $25 Million to Allied Climate Partners’ Climate Finance Partnership
Feb. 27, GlobeNewswire

How Nonprofits Benefit from Donor Advised Funds
March 1, NYN Media

30 Nonprofit Leaders Who Will Impact the World in 2024
March 5, CauseArtist
McKnight Foundation, Cleveland Foundation, Lumina Foundation

Looking Back: Putting Capital at the Heart of Impact
March 6, The Kresge Foundation

Feb. 22: Family Foundations Gathering
Our recent virtual gathering of MIE family foundation members delved into the complexities and successes of committing to 100% mission-aligned investing and activating new investment policy statements (IPS). Led by Nicholas Banovetz, executive director of Better Way Foundation, the session provided invaluable insights into navigating challenges such as board dynamics and the integration of impact investing with grantmaking, expenses, and perpetuity. Nicholas shared Better Way’s journey towards 100% mission alignment, highlighting their commitment to initiatives focusing on early childhood development, language revitalization, and culture preservation in local Indigenous communities. Discussion topics included the importance of leadership buy-in, challenges of sourcing alternative investments, and the significance of storytelling in highlighting the tangible outcomes of impact investments. 

Feb. 29: Communications Interest Group Gathering
MIE hosted our first 2024 gathering of the Communications Interest Group on Feb. 29, exploring the art of building impactful partnerships, both internally and externally. During the call, we heard from Paul Bachleitner of the Northwest Area Foundation, Maggie Colgan of the New York Foundation, and Bridget Weiler of MIT Solve. They shared valuable strategies for fostering collaborative cultures within organizations and highlighted the importance of storytelling in communication efforts. From leveraging relationships to creating compelling narratives through documentaries and films, attendees gained valuable insights on enhancing their communications practice to further their organization's mission. Keep an eye out for future opportunities to connect and learn with fellow marketing and communications professionals in impact investing at the upcoming MIE 2024 National Conference in L.A., and save the date for our next virtual gathering June 27.