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A foundation is a powerful platform through which families can express their values in society.
Yet, most families only use a small portion of their foundation assets to pursue their philanthropic
missions. Funding solutions to the world’s toughest challenges requires far more resources than
are available through foundations’ grantmaking alone.

As families grapple with the scale of these challenges, many are seeking ways to activate more of their philanthropic assets towards their missions. Impact investing is a powerful tool for maximizing a foundation’s assets for good. This primer is a guide for families looking to align and activate their foundation’s assets to achieve their social and environmental objectives while meeting their foundation’s financial needs.

From The Impact Investing Institute

This document serves as a guide for family offices interested in impact investing. It provides practical steps and resources for aligning wealth with positive social and environmental change while maintaining financial performance.

It outlines the roadmap to impact investing, covering internal advocacy, strategy development, investment policy creation, capital allocation, team building, and impact measurement and management. The guide emphasizes both “impact by design” and “shifting to impact” approaches for families. It further highlights the need for clear communication of values and impact intentions with external advisers and managers.

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.