Signals
Climate Finance | March 28, 2024
How a $75 million ‘basket bond’ is catalyzing climate lending to small businesses in emerging markets
Local and community lenders in the US have been preparing for a windfall of financing from the federal government to support communities—particularly underinvested …
Policy Corner | March 18, 2024
From executive pay to stock buybacks, corporations favor the peak of the pyramid
Reining in executive pay. Quadrupling the tax on stock buybacks. A minimum income tax of 25% on billionaires. President Biden’s latest budget proposes …
Clean Energy | March 13, 2024
The path to universal energy access is local, inclusive and women-led
In Zimbabwe, Agriput Solar leverages a network of local women to sell solar home products in rural communities. Women-led Grean World in Ethiopia …
Impact Investing | March 12, 2024
ImpactAssets 50: Fund managers are raising the bar by tying compensation to impact
ImpactAlpha, March 1 – A focus on climate and impact-linked compensation are among the trends in this year’s ImpactAssets 50 list. Some 155 …
Inclusive Economy | March 4, 2024
Overheard at Sankalp: Public equity for African small businesses, accelerating circular enterprises, financing women-led ventures
ImpactAlpha, March 4 – The theme of the Sankalp Africa Summit in Nairobi was “igniting Africa’s potential for a just transition.” As always, financing …
private-equity | February 27, 2024
Impact Engine doubles down on “purpose built” private equity with $85 million fund
Impact investing has become trendy among private equity firms as the sector seeks to redeem its reputation for debt-fueled and externality-laden profits. When …
Impact Investing | February 27, 2024
Risks and opportunities in early-stage climate tech in Africa
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 26 – Climate concerns figured prominently in conversations among investors, development agencies, startups and corporations at this week’s Africa Tech Summit …
Impact Investing | February 15, 2024
To tame inflation, promote abundance
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 15 – “Let’s not get too flipped out,” Austan Goolsbee, president of the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank, counseled this week after …
Climate and Clean Tech | February 13, 2024
India’s growing appetite for electric vehicles
ImpactAlpha, February 13 – The US is sending mixed signals about consumer EV adoption. In India, where most vehicle sales are two- and …
Community Finance | January 24, 2024
LISC’s Michael Pugh on navigating legal challenges to community development finance (Q&A)
ImpactAlpha, January 24 — After 100 days at the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Michael Pugh is getting down to business. At the top …
Signals | January 18, 2024
World Economic Forum 2024: If every billionaire is a policy failure, what’s a trillionaire?
ImpactAlpha, January 18 — The world is woefully behind on achieving climate and sustainable development goals by 2030. But one area where we’re …
Muni Impact | January 16, 2024
As climate risk heats up, state and local governments may be on the hook
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 16 – It’s a climate conundrum. In recent years, Americans have been moving in droves to low-tax states like Florida, Texas …
Climate and Clean Tech | January 11, 2024
The Week’s Chart: Tripling renewables by 2030
Oops, they did it again. The International Energy Agency has upped its perennially conservative five-year forecast for renewable energy by 33%, or 728 …
Impact Investing | December 15, 2023
At A Loss About the Loss and Damage Fund? Here’s What You Need to Know
One of the unequivocal wins at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai was the agreement, on the first day of the conference, to …
Climate Finance | December 12, 2023
The impact entrepreneurs and investors putting the UN’s food framework into action
ImpactAlpha, December 12 – Food, from farm to table, is responsible for nearly 40% of greenhouse gas emissions, due to carbon-intensive livestock rearing, …
Climate Finance | December 11, 2023
India’s private investors lean green despite the country’s competing climate and development agendas
ImpactAlpha, December 11 – The debate over how to categorize the most populous country in the world’s climate actions and needs was on full …
Climate Finance | November 29, 2023
From “carve-outs” to “aligners,” five archetypes for family office climate investing
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 29 – Wealthy families are feeling the pull of climate investing. CREO, a nonprofit that for more than a decade has …
India | November 15, 2023
Impact investors brave Delhi’s smog to champion climate finance in India
ImpactAlpha, November 15 – Impact investors in India gathered last week in Delhi’s hazardous smog to strategize ways to raise, and deploy, more …
Impact Tech | November 8, 2023
Private equity firms see robust demand for impact funds, despite headwinds
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 8 – Private equity firms may be battling a high interest rate environment and sluggish IPO market. But they’re still raising …
Deploy! | October 31, 2023
DOE awards $1.3 billion to ease transmission bottlenecks
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 31 – Electric vehicles factories and renewable energy plants are rapidly rising across the US, thanks to federal tax incentives. Not …
Corporate Impact | October 25, 2023
Investors push corporations to better manage increasingly scarce water resources
ImpactAlpha, October 25 – Corporations are the largest consumers of water globally, which sets them up for conflict and risk as water scarcity …
Muni Impact | October 18, 2023
Chicago tries a twist on tax increment financing to extend transport to low-income neighborhoods
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 18 – A new approach to a well-worn financing mechanism is attracting attention to Chicago. The city is employing a new …
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 …
Smallholder Agriculture | October 5, 2023
Investors are bullish on digitizing Africa’s agricultural supply chain
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 5 – When Desmond Koney inherited his father’s farm, he discovered firsthand the challenges of smallholder farmers in Ghana and much …
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 …
Impact Management | September 20, 2023
The $100 billion opportunity in climate-finance accountability
ImpactAlpha, September 20 – Developed nations have pledged (but not delivered) $100 billion annually to help low and middle-income countries adapt to climate …
Climate Finance | September 20, 2023
Climate Week NYC: Write it down
ImpactAlpha, September 20 – Oil may be nearing $100 a barrel again, but long term prospects for fossil fuels are less rosy. Coal …
Policy Corner | September 18, 2023
With laws and lawsuits, California takes on Big Oil
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 18 – Will he or won’t he? Gavin Newsom put to rest questions about the fate of two landmark bills passed by …
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 …
Impact Investing | September 10, 2023
Climate protestors step up their game as climate action falters
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 11 – Tomato soup on Van Gogh’s sunflowers. A blockade of Burning Man. This weekend, climate protestors staged their latest stunt …
Water | August 28, 2023
Water security climbs the climate agenda at World Water Week
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 28 – The fire that ravaged western Maui this month exposed simmering tensions over rights to dwindling water supplies. In fast-growing …
Catalytic Capital | August 22, 2023
To finance Indigenous communities, capitalize Native-led investment funds and nonprofits
ImpactAlpha, August 22 – A loan for sustainable eel farming in Maine. Small business financing for Indigenous women founders. Collateral-free kinship lending on …
Climate Finance | August 16, 2023
African leaders want a bigger slice of a bigger market for voluntary carbon credits
ImpactAlpha, August 16 – Africa needs $250 billion a year to finance climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives. Yet the vast continent of nearly …
Conservation | August 10, 2023
Revived South American alliance takes steps to protect Amazon forests and communities
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 10 – There was no grand pledge to halt deforestation, as Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had urged. Nor …
ESG | July 19, 2023
BlackRock’s latest move has climate advocates asking, ‘What’s up with Larry Fink?’
ImpactAlpha, July 19 – Larry Fink has jumped from the frying pan into the fire. Last month, the BlackRock CEO said he was …
Green Infrastructure | July 17, 2023
Managers vie for the mandate to stand up a national “green bank”
ImpactAlpha, July 17 — Green banks, credit unions, community development financial institutions, or CDFIs, and other nonprofit lenders are scrambling for the mandate …
Impact Investing | June 28, 2023
Institutional investors shrug off ESG backlash to move forward on impact investing
ImpactAlpha, June 28 – The backlash against ESG is not (yet) hampering impact investing. It may even be driving some institutional investors toward …
Signals | June 23, 2023
An EV supply chain takes shape
ImpactAlpha, June 23 – A flood of funding and tax incentives championed by the Biden administration is remaking American manufacturing. The latest signal: …
Return on Inclusion | June 20, 2023
Change Labs’ entrepreneurship hub opens doors for Navajo businesses
ImpactAlpha, June 20 – Extreme resource constraints and bureaucratic obstacles on tribal lands have stifled entrepreneurship and economic development in Indigenous communities. A …
Return on Inclusion | June 20, 2023
Reflections on Common Future’s first racial equity accelerator cohort
ImpactAlpha, June 20 — The women of color in Common Future’s first racial equity accelerator are tapping into their lived experiences to help …
Impact Investing | June 9, 2023
The Week’s Chart: Wildfires drive home costs of climate inaction
ImpactAlpha, June 9 – The past eight years have been the warmest on record, the World Meteorological Organization has declared. It should not …
Policy Corner | May 25, 2023
US SIF’s Lisa Woll: Attacks on ESG demonstrate the growing importance of sustainable investing
The old adage still serves: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” For Lisa …
Catalytic Capital | May 23, 2023
Appalachia emerges as a climate refuge – and its community infrastructure feels the strain
ImpactAlpha, May 23 — With its mountainous terrain, water resources and ecological diversity, the Central Appalachia region across West Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina …
Inclusive Economy | May 4, 2023
Overheard in Philadelphia: Bridging capital gaps to build wealth in underserved communities
ImpactAlpha, May 4 — ImpactPHL’s Total Impact Summit gathered Agents of Impact in Philadelphia for the second consecutive year, following a three-year pandemic …
Impact Investing | April 26, 2023
How Biden’s climate policies are driving a clean energy transformation
ImpactAlpha, April 26 – The trio of climate and economic legislation signed into law by Joe Biden in the first two years of …