Ownership Economy
Strategies for wealth-creation and shared prosperity
Ownership Economy | April 17, 2024
Colorado is demonstrating how states can accelerate conversions to employee ownership (video)
When Jared Polis became Colorado’s governor in 2019, he created an employee ownership office to incentivize and provide support for retiring owners to …
Photo by Sky Blue Builders.
Ownership Economy | April 8, 2024
With ELBOs and EOTs, more business owners are exiting to employee ownership
Conversions to worker ownership can be complex for retiring business owners. They may be looking first to keep their enterprise going and second …
SOCAP23 | Credit: SOCAP/Instagram
Ownership Economy | April 1, 2024
Putting ownership and wealth-building strategies on center stage
“We are on the cusp of catalyzing an ownership movement,” WES’s Smitha Das and Gary Community Ventures’ Santhosh Ramdoss wrote on ImpactAlpha last …
Ownership Economy | April 1, 2024
Wanted: First-time fund managers with strategies to ‘Unlock Ownership’ in underserved communities
A group of mission-aligned investors is pooling philanthropic capital to provide early, flexible capital to help first-time managers launch funds to finance employee-ownership …
Ownership Economy | March 26, 2024
Wealth-building and community ownership in the next stage of The Great Deployment
Later this year, solar panels will be installed on the roof of the Brooklyn Army Terminal. Like thousands of emerging green projects across the …
Return on Inclusion | February 29, 2024
Sorenson Impact backs Redemption’s purchase of Holladay Bank to create a new Black-owned bank
ImpactAlpha, February 29 — The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., impact investor. In King’s last public address before he was assassinated, he …
Dealflow | February 28, 2024
Kachuwa Impact Fund scores $3.2 million to bring cooperatives to impact investing
ImpactAlpha, February 28 — Blake Jones, a “cooperative geek,” launched Kachuwa Impact Fund to bring the principles of cooperative ownership and governance to …
Photo by Prosper West San Antonio.
Inclusive Economy | February 25, 2024
Can commercial corridors + broad ownership build community wealth without displacement?
ImpactAlpha, February 22 — The West Side of San Antonio is looking forward to a thriving corridor of successful small businesses, restored buildings …
Photo: Natural Investments
Ownership Economy | February 13, 2024
This sustainable investment firm is now governed by a perpetual purpose trust
As one of the earliest registered investment advisors exclusively dedicated to socially responsible, sustainable and impact investments since 1985, our financial advisor-owners of …
Agents of Impact | January 26, 2024
Ines Schiller, Vyld: Reengineering the tampon – and the ethos of biotech
ImpactAlpha, January 26 – Ines Schiller got the idea for seaweed tampons while training in South Africa to be a marine environment guide. …
Image credit: Vyld
Dealflow | January 23, 2024
Alt-capital and alt-ownership models for circular hygiene startup Vyld
ImpactAlpha, January 23 – Ines Schiller and Melanie Schichan had a vision to strengthen the circular economy with sustainable hygiene and care products. …
Ownership Economy | January 22, 2024
Alternative ownership enterprises challenge conventional models for companies and funds
“We need economies and enterprises that are distributive by design, sharing value, power, and opportunity far more equitably with all involved—throughout their supply …
Photo by The Local Butcher Shop.
Dealflow | January 16, 2024
A to Z Impact backs Project Equity’s Employee Ownership Catalyst Fund
ImpactAlpha, January 16 — Oakland-based nonprofit Project Equity launched the Employee Ownership Catalyst Fund in 2021 to raise $20 million for retiring small …
Inclusive Economy | December 18, 2023
At Stake in ’24: Expanded ownership and access to capital to build wealth and bridge divides
ImpactAlpha, December 18 — If the redistribution of wealth pits the haves and have-nots against each other, the predistribution of ownership may put …
Ownership Economy | December 14, 2023
With employee trusts, Canada opens a pathway to worker ownership
ImpactAlpha, December 14 — Expect to see a surge in Canadian companies converting to employee ownership in 2024. Legislation set to go into …
Photo by Thomas Carroll Group.
United Kingdom | December 13, 2023
British insurance broker Thomas Carroll Group transitions to an employee ownership trust
ImpactAlpha, December 13 — Employee ownership trusts are inexpensive to execute and flexible in design compared to other structures like employee stock ownership …
Ownership Economy | November 15, 2023
Building an ownership movement to close racial wealth gaps
This year’s Ben Affleck and Matt Damon movie, Air, is a classic story of American enterprise. It features people and organizations once on …
Photo by The Ownership Economy.
Ownership Economy | October 16, 2023
Multiplying transitions to employee ownership with private capital and public policy
ImpactAlpha, October 16 — Giving workers ownership stakes in the companies they work for improves employees’ motivation, productivity, retention and drives long-term business …
Ownership Economy | October 2, 2023
How Dearfield Fund helps Black women buy homes to build wealth and health
ImpactAlpha, October 2 — Equitable homeownership is a key strategy for narrowing racial wealth gaps. Centering Black women is key to the success …
Podcasts | September 29, 2023
Strategies for finding the employee-ownership edge
Host Brian Walsh shares highlights from this week’s agents of impact call, “The employee-ownership edge,” which explored the range of opportunities for investing …
Ownership Economy | September 29, 2023
Labor and capital align in new movement for worker ownership (Video)
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 29 – It’s the age-old struggle: labor vs capital, workers vs. owners. But what happens when employees get a stake in the …
Ownership Economy | September 28, 2023
Vernier Science Education transitions to a perpetual purpose trust
ImpactAlpha, September 28 — Vernier Science Education, a textbook, software and lab equipment provider for K-12 science and technology education, is converting ownership …
Photo by ImpactAlpha.
Signals | September 28, 2023
Overheard at the Congressional Black Caucus: Boosting Black ownership
ImpactAlpha, September 28 — Black ownership was the theme that echoed through the Walter E. Washington Convention Center at last week’s annual legislative …
Ownership Economy | September 25, 2023
Financing transitions to employee ownership delivers wins for workers – and investors
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 25 – It’s the age-old struggle: labor and capital typically are at odds in the workplace and the financial markets. Case in …
Photo by Blk Grvty.
Return on Inclusion | September 14, 2023
Disruptive Discourse: Standing up to legal challenges to fund managers and business owners of color
ImpactAlpha, September 14 — Women leaders of color are stepping up ecosystem-building efforts to counter the recent legal attacks against minority-owned and led …
Ownership Economy | September 6, 2023
Challenging wealth supremacy to realize the dream of systemic change
This essay is adapted from Marjorie Kelly’s forthcoming book, “Wealth Supremacy: How the Extractive Economy and the Biased Rules of Capitalism Drive Today’s …
John Green | Photo by ImpactAlpha.
Ownership Economy | August 23, 2023
Blackstar Stability: Replacing predatory loans to build equity and wealth for homeowners of color (Q&A)
ImpactAlpha, August 23 — Over the decades, discriminatory practices in the US real estate industry have blocked many households of color from the …
Photo by Brad's Service Center.
Ownership Economy | August 22, 2023
Teamshares raises $245 million for small business employee stock ownership
ImpactAlpha, August 22 — Brooklyn, NY-based Teamshares has raised $245 million to build a national portfolio of 10,000 employee-owned small businesses. The opportunity: …
Ownership Economy | August 18, 2023
Deal spotlight: Employee ownership as a competitive advantage
ImpactAlpha, August 18 — KKR’s acquisition of New York-based book publishing giant Simon & Schuster earlier this month signals that investors with employee-ownership …
A photo of the Ladd Project. Credit: LocalCode Kansas City.
Ownership Economy | July 25, 2023
On east side of Kansas City, LocalCode adds community ownership to the real estate toolkit
ImpactAlpha, July 25 — In Kansas City, Mo., Troost Ave. divides the predominantly Black eastside from whiter and more affluent neighborhoods to the …
Image credit: Navajo Power
Ownership Economy | July 24, 2023
Native-led Navajo Power leans into the just transition with community benefits and local jobs
ImpactAlpha, July 24 – Rapid development of new clean energy capacity may be what’s needed amid an increasingly urgent climate crisis. But fast …
Photo by LocalCode.
Ownership Economy | July 12, 2023
Paths to inclusive wealth run through residential and commercial real estate
ImpactAlpha, July 12 — A “new wealth agenda” aims to increase by 10-fold the wealth of U.S. households of color and those in …
Photo by Everytable.
Ownership Economy | July 6, 2023
Everytable raises $25 million to open new locations for food entrepreneurs of color
ImpactAlpha, July 6 — Los Angeles-based fast-casual chain Everytable has raised $25 million to support its growth plan, “which includes opening retail locations …
Photo by Chicago TREND.
Return on Inclusion | June 28, 2023
Chicago TREND Real Estate Fund raises $10 million to create real estate ownership for Black residents
ImpactAlpha, June 28 — Chicago Trend is looking to raise $50 million to purchase and renovate blighted neighborhood shopping centers in majority-Black neighborhoods. …
Clegg Auto | Photo credit: Clegg Auto
Ownership Economy | May 24, 2023
A Utah auto shop demonstrates a pathway to worker ownership via a perpetual purpose trust
ImpactAlpha, May 24 – The mechanics and other employees at Clegg Auto’s four car-repair shops in northern Utah since last fall have received an …
Ownership Economy | May 24, 2023
Ford Foundation pushes to add worker ownership to the ‘quality jobs’ toolkit
ImpactAlpha, May 24 – The Ford Foundation liked the “quality jobs” focus of Two Sigma Impact, the private equity manager that last month raised …
Inclusive Economy | May 23, 2023
Funders commit $10 million to combat California’s housing crisis with community ownership
ImpactAlpha, May 23 – Nearly 30% of America’s homeless live in California. Among the state’s extremely low-income households who are housed, nearly 80% …
Dorcia Whitebrake, an Everytable franchisee candidate. Photo by Everytable.
Ownership Economy | May 18, 2023
With inclusive loans and business support, franchise ownership offers a path to wealth for entrepreneurs of color
ImpactAlpha, May 18 — Employee ownership is having a moment. One promising strategy: democratizing the franchise model to widen pathways to ownership and …
Oakland, California
Inclusive Economy | May 9, 2023
Turning local community ownership projects into a national movement
ImpactAlpha, May 9 – Kentucky Derby winner Mage isn’t the only community-owned asset with national momentum (almost 400 fractional investors held a 25% …
Photo credit: CoolIT
Return on Inclusion | May 4, 2023
KKR acquires CoolIT to advance both climate impact and worker ownership
ImpactAlpha, May 4 – The world’s growing uses for data are creating an environmental problem: data centers consume a lot of energy. Preventing …
Africa | April 17, 2023
Secha Capital’s investment in South Africa’s FarmTrace will support growth and employee ownership
ImpactAlpha, April 17 – Private equity firm Secha Capital made its name as an early investor in South Africa’s bread and butter businesses. …
Call Recording | March 31, 2023
Metrics Madness: Wealth, ownership and ‘quality adjusted life years’ (video)
ImpactAlpha, Mar. 31 – The search for a universal metric to guide investments in racial justice and equitable wealth-building was…aspirational. “We are still a …
photo: Christopher Burns
Ownership Economy | February 21, 2023
Move over, private equity. Here comes worker ownership.
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 21 – Who better to buy an established, profitable small business than the employees who work there? They know the operations, the …
Ownership Economy | February 14, 2023
Social Capital Partners widens its ‘ownership lens’ with $2 million fund
Social Capital Partners, the Toronto-based nonprofit, has made a specialty out of convincing Canada’s pension funds to invest in U.S. worker-ownership conversions through …
Looking Ahead to 2023 | December 21, 2022
Abundance, ownership and inclusion hold keys to shared prosperity in 2023
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 21 – Real solutions. Real revenues. Real places. While other investors chased crypto and other tech fads, inclusive investors were finding …