Impact investments filled the capital gap to help fuel solutions to urgent issues, from racial equity to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Published 04-21-21
Submitted by ImpactAssets
BETHESDA, Md., April 21, 2021 /CSRwire/ – ImpactAssets, a $1.5 billion impact investing firm, today released 2020 figures showing a record 207 Custom Investments in private mission-driven businesses, impact funds and nonprofit organizations totaling $203 million. By comparison, the firm made a total of 152 Custom Investments worth $140 million in 2019, and 108 investments totaling $17.34 million in 2018.
“We saw extraordinary growth in Custom Investments activity in 2020, fueled largely by the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disparities and racial justice,” said ImpactAssets CEO Margret Trilli. “Impact investing has played a critical role in addressing the inequities of the health and economic crises by funding needed innovations in COVID testing and treatments and by supporting small businesses and individuals that were not reached by the PPP or traditional philanthropy.”
Since the launch of the Custom Investments program in 2011, ImpactAssets has allocated $413 million in 834 direct investments. The program puts money to work in catalytic, entrepreneurial and socially-conscious investments that offer opportunities for innovative impact and systemic change. It is part of ImpactAssets’ innovative platform enabling clients to increase their impact by adding specific impact investments, in addition to their grant making and other sustainable and responsible investment options, to build a sophisticated philanthropic endowment.
Investments spanned the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), covering all 17 UN SDGs in 2020. SDGs that saw the most significant investment included #03 – Good Health & Wellbeing, #08 – Decent Work & Economic Growth and #10 – Reduced Inequalities.
In 2020, Custom Investments also put capital to work in new Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC)-focused funds, managed by BIPOC founders, including:
Investments also focused on catalytic COVID-19 responses, including cutting-edge molecular diagnostics, biosafety, therapeutics and production of personal protective equipment. Investees included CULTURINTEL, INC., IES Life Sciences, Inc., Epivax Therapeutics, Inc., NeuroRx, Inc., Folia Water, Inc., and Rymedi, Inc.
“Our clients want to align their philanthropic investments with their values, and we are thrilled to be able to support them with Custom Investments,” said Eric Meissner, Director of ImpactAssets Custom Investments and Business Analytics. “It’s critical that capital moves rapidly and fully into impact investing and these private debt and equity investments are funding entrepreneurs who are finding creative solutions to system-level problems and powering a more equitable future.”
About ImpactAssets
ImpactAssets is the leading impact investing partner for individuals, families and philanthropists tackling the world’s greatest challenges by investing in the world’s brightest ideas. We make it easy for our clients to “discover, connect and invest” in game-changing entrepreneurs and funds. Founded in 2010, ImpactAssets increases flows of money to impact investing with our 100% impact investment platform and field-building initiatives, including the IA 50 database of private debt and equity impact fund managers.
The ImpactAssets Donor Advised Fund is an innovative vehicle that empowers donors to increase the impact of their giving by combining it with strategic, sustainable and responsible investing to build a sophisticated philanthropic endowment. The Fund currently has more than $1.5 billion in assets in 1,400 donor advised funds, working with 350 wealth advisors across 60 financial services firms.
Learn more at https://www.impactassets.org/
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ImpactAssets is an impact investing trailblazer, dedicated to changing the trajectory of our planet’s future and improving the lives of all people. As a leading impact investing firm, we offer deep strategic expertise to help our clients define and execute on their impact goals.
Founded in 2010, ImpactAssets increases flows of money to impact investing in partnership with our clients through our impact investment platform and field-building initiatives, including the IA 50 database of private debt and equity impact fund managers.
ImpactAssets has more than $2 billion in assets in 1,700 donor advised fund accounts, working with purpose-driven individuals and their wealth managers, family offices, foundations and corporations. ImpactAssets is an independent 501(c)(3) organization.
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