Catalytic capital to scale ambitious social ventures
Our goal is to fund impact first and foremost. So we invest in nonprofits and for-profits who have proven results and a path to scale. Our hope is that our investment can propel them further on their journey to make the planet healthier and its people better off. Each venture has unique needs and we tailor our investments to match them.
Funding across multiple impact areas
We prioritize impact, first and foremost. For that reason, we are sector and geography agnostic.
Tailored to meet the unique needs of ventures
We provide bespoke grant and loan structures so that ventures have the right capital required for scale.
Mezzanine funding required for scale
We fill a critical market need, providing high-risk funding in the $1M – $3M range. Grants for nonprofits and flexible debt for for-profit or revenue generating ventures.
Key Criteria for Funding:
• Scale: A well-defined operating plan and a venture that has product-market fit with a clear path to significant scale. We’re especially interested in understanding what it will take if that scale requires the support of another party (e.g., government, other nonprofits).
• Team: Strong leadership and management team with proximity to the communities they serve. Strong CEOs and leadership teams that are well-suited to solve this particular challenge.
• Impact:
• Breadth: Directly serving at least 5,000 customers/year.
• Depth: Proven & directly attributable impact having a transformative improvement in quality of life.
• Target population: The most underserved, with no measurable access to markets or alternative opportunities.
• Hard to Find Capital: A need for timely, catalytic capital that isn’t otherwise available in the market. We look for opportunities to provide funding that other donors or investors are unwilling or unable to fill.
Our Commitment to Ventures
Countering power dynamics
We develop shared operating agreements with every venture; they choose how we work together – from the time of day that we schedule calls, to the way in which they respond to questions (written, verbal, video, etc.)
Clarity on timelines
We co-create a diligence calendar together with each venture so they decide who we speak to and when.
Transparency in decision-making
From inbound pipeline all the way until the end of diligence, we ensure that ventures know how and why our team makes all decisions along the way.
Feedback on our role as funders
Our goal is to maintain an open channel of communication with ventures in our portfolio to share what is working, what isn’t, and how we can continually improve.
Since 2018, we’ve supported social ventures with $270 million in flexible capital
$250M grants
$20M debt
Investments
Explore our investment portfolio of social ventures driving lasting impact and innovation.
