This guide from the Omidyar Network focuses on building effective impact investing teams, advising families on aligning their motivations and goals with talent strategy. It outlines a four-step approach, including defining goals, assessing operational needs, evaluating team structures (in-house, blended, or outsourced), and building the team. The document also features case studies of various foundations and funds to illustrate different approaches to team building and provides additional resources for further learning.
Author: Gabriela
Early Stage Investing for Financial Returns and Social Impact in Emerging Markets
This report from the Omidyar Network focuses on “Frontier Capital,” early-stage investing in emerging markets that seeks both financial returns and social impact, specifically targeting low- and lower-middle-income populations. It identifies three segments of investment: Replicate and adapt, frontier, and frontier plus, each with varying levels of risk and potential impact, and calls for more risk-tolerant capital to support innovation in these areas. The document highlights the importance of mixed-income models and asset-light businesses for achieving scale and impact in these markets.
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors – Philanthropy Roadmap
This guide from The Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors is an introduction to impact investing. It discusses the definition of impact investing, its importance, various strategies and structures, and examples of how it is being utilized by organizations and individuals. The document also outlines the benefits and challenges of impact investing and provides resources for further exploration of the topic.
From the Margins to the Mainstream
This World Economic Forum report assesses the state of impact investing at the time, highlighting the gap between excitement and actual investment from mainstream investors, and proposes strategies to bridge this gap. It emphasizes definitional clarity, addresses challenges such as small deal sizes and lack of standardized measurement, and recommends actions for various stakeholders to accelerate capital flow into impact investments.
The report calls for greater transparency in financial returns and social impact measurement, while encouraging mainstream investors to engage further.