The period after the American Civil War was a time of great ferment, division – and systemic change. Today’s confluence of pandemic, dislocation and popular mobilization presents new opportunities for systemic change. Conversations on The Reconstruction podcasts, and coverage on ImpactAlpha, introduce people, projects and U.S. policies that center Blackness in the service of economic liberation for all.
Podcasts
Full Cycle's Stephan Nicoleau
Climate and Clean Tech | September 20, 2021
The Reconstruction: Redressing the past with climate-smart infrastructure for a just transition (podcast)
ImpactAlpha, Sept 20 – Infrastructure is highways and bridges. And hospitals and airports; broadband, clean water, plumbing and electricity. And it all needs …
Hurricane Ida | Photo credit: NBC News
Podcasts | August 30, 2021
Recovery from Hurricane Ida starts with equitable treatment for the ‘resilience force’ of essential workers (podcast)
ImpactAlpha Aug. 30 – With hurricane winds still blowing and rain falling, essential workers already are stepping up to bring back services and …
DeAnna Hoskins, Just Leadership
Podcasts | August 23, 2021
The Reconstruction: Leadership for criminal justice reform from those most affected by mass incarceration (podcast)
ImpactAlpha August 23 – The overhauling of U.S. systems of mass incarceration to advance justice in criminal justice requires the leadership of people …
Baltimore, Maryland | Jon Bilous
Community Finance | August 9, 2021
The Reconstruction: An equitable path forward to redress racial injustice in real estate
ImpactAlpha August 9 – Black Americans make up nearly half of the people living in affordable homes financed by the federal government. But …
Podcasts | July 26, 2021
The Reconstruction: How philanthropy unbound can put humanity back into investing in all its forms
ImpactAlpha July 26 – Renée Joslyn wants to restore philanthropy to the roots of the word: love of humanity. Joslyn, the founder of …
John Duong, Kind Capital
Podcasts | July 12, 2021
The Reconstruction: Practicing kindness to disrupt venture capital and deepen diversity
ImpactAlpha July 12 – Can venture capital be kind? This simple question is at the heart of the impact investing firm Kind Capital …
Gangstas to Growers in Atlanta | Photo credit: Gangstas to Growers/Facebook
Podcasts | June 28, 2021
The Reconstruction: Building community power and agency to redress racial wealth gaps in Atlanta
ImpactAlpha, June 28 – Atlanta has been the de facto headquarters of the civil rights movement since the 1950s and ‘60s. A 1971 …
Tommy Johnson and Fennie Wang of Made with Black Culture
Blockchain/AI/IoT | June 14, 2021
The Reconstruction: Certifying products made with Black culture to build an ethical marketplace – on blockchain
ImpactAlpha June 14 – Made with Black Culture is developing a certification process to authenticate products of Black culture. Through a blockchain-based cryptographic …
Anne Price of the Insight Center for Community Economic Development | Photo credit: Insight Center
Podcasts | June 1, 2021
The Reconstruction: Anne Price on centering Blackness in the economic liberation of all Americans
ImpactAlpha, June 1 – The recovery from both the COVID pandemic and the long legacy of racism in the U.S. presents an opportunity for …
Screenshot of rare color footage of Tulsa's thriving Greenwood District | Image credit: The Smithsonian
Podcasts | May 26, 2021
The Reconstruction: How the legacy of Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre is shaping a more just future
ImpactAlpha, May 26 – Nearly 100 years ago, on May 31, 1921, Oklahoma’s Tulsa Tribune released a falsified news story describing an accusation by …
Patience Marime-Ball of Women of the World Endowment
Podcasts | May 17, 2021
The Reconstruction: Patience Marime-Ball on driving change by changing who controls capital
ImpactAlpha, May 17 — Women are not waiting to be saved. Women are doing the saving. That’s the mantra of Patience Marime-Ball, who …
Kelli Saulny of Camelback Ventures
Podcasts | May 3, 2021
The Reconstruction: Accelerating Black entrepreneurship to build wealth across generations
ImpactAlpha, May 3, 2021 – Inheritance is not only about the wealth we pass down from grandparents to parents to children. It is …
Rey Ramsey of The Nathan Cummings Foundation | Photo credit: The Org
Podcasts | April 19, 2021
The Reconstruction: Rey Ramsey on deploying 100% of foundation assets toward positive impact and racial equity
ImpactAlpha, April 19 — The case for breaking down philanthropy’s historical divide between the investment side of the house and a foundation’s mission …
Tiffany Manuel of TheCaseMade | Photo: Tiffany Manuel
Podcasts | April 12, 2021
The Reconstruction: Seeing the world of our children’s children to help make the case for justice
ImpactAlpha, April 12 – Tiffany Manuel’s handbooks for social change warn about messaging “backfires.” These days, she’s wielding such tools to overcome backlash. …
Daryn Dodson, Illumen Capital
Podcasts | March 29, 2021
The Reconstruction: Overcoming racial bias to optimize asset management for returns – and impact
ImpactAlpha, Mar. 29 – Money managers at the world’s sovereign wealth and pension funds and university and foundation endowments seek to optimize portfolios to …
Rodney Foxworth of Common Future
Inclusive Economy | March 8, 2021
The Reconstruction: Rodney Foxworth on reparative investing for shared power in a common future
Rodney Foxworth, CEO of Oakland, Calif.-based Common Future, gets personal in conversation with host Monique Aiken in the latest episode in The Reconstruction, …
Frontline Solutions’ Marion Johnson and Jessica Barron
Podcasts | March 1, 2021
The Reconstruction: The mobilization of Black women and other voters of color is uplifting us all
ImpactAlpha, Mar. 1 – There was an important history lesson embedded in the confirmation hearings of Attorney General-designate Merrick Garland, who is expected to …
(left to right) Erika Seth Davies, Tracy Gray, Rachel Robasciotti, Brent Kessel
Podcasts | February 10, 2021
The Reconstruction: How unlikely partners came together to fight racial bias in asset allocation
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 10 – The broad problem of systemic bias in the asset management industry became very specific when fund manager Rachel Robasciotti pitched …
Podcasts | February 3, 2021
The Reconstruction: Carmen Rojas on practicing truth in the service of freedom
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 3 – As founder of The Workers Lab, Dr. Carmen Rojas led a nonprofit incubator and investor with the tagline “building power …
Artwork from “The Moment Was Now,” a play by Gene Bruskin
Podcasts | February 2, 2021
The Reconstruction: That moment when everything was possible… is now
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 2 – A contested election. A political deal. An historic sellout. Screech… halt… stop. The presidential election just finished had a decidedly …
1863 Ventures' Melissa Bradley | Photo: Washington Business Journal
Podcasts | February 1, 2021
The Reconstruction: Learning from history to create opportunities for equitable wealth-building now
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 1 – Talk about a signal. The Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 kicked off the period of systemic reform, multi-racial progress and shared …
Podcasts | February 1, 2021
Welcome to The Reconstruction
ImpactAlpha, Feb 1 – The Reconstruction series will engage investors, entrepreneurs, activists and academics in the U.S. and around the world, as Aiken puts …
Features
Photo by Tim Hüfner on Unsplash
Return on Inclusion | September 15, 2021
‘Criminal justice footprints’ present risks and opportunities for investors
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 15 – With its first set of corporate ratings, FreeCap Financial has identified 10 indicators investors can use to screen companies for …
Photo credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.
Features | August 26, 2021
Can investors help Haiti build back better this time?
ImpactAlpha, August 26 — Haiti’s politicians are promising a different response. Global leaders are looking for different approaches. And millions of Haitians are …
Wynwood Art District, Miami | Photo by Brian Lundquist on Unsplash
Creative Economy | August 24, 2021
Artists are startups and creators CEOs as technology decentralizes the creative economy
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 24 – Musicians, actors, artists and other “creators” are getting creative about reaping the economic gains of their influence and turning their …
CHINO, CA - Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Civic Tech | August 23, 2021
Decarceration-lens investing gains momentum in public and private markets
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 23 – Criminal justice is a growing part of racial-justice investing. To equip investors in public markets, Adasina Social Capital has built …
Asahi Pompey, Goldman Sachs
The Reconstruction | July 28, 2021
Q&A with Asahi Pompey: How the Goldman Sachs executive is helping the investment bank meet calls for racial and gender equity
ImpactAlpha, July 28 – When confronted with the reality that her 11-year son, a young Black man in America, had seen George Floyd’s …
Return on Inclusion | July 13, 2021
The era of diversity disclosure in asset management has begun. Will actual diversity follow?
ImpactAlpha, June 13 – “The asset management industry has a lot of work to do to increase racial and gender diversity,” says Gary Gensler, …
Photo by K. Mitch Hodge on Unsplash
Call Recording | July 9, 2021
Call No. 29: Capitalism reimagined for fair gainsharing and equitable prosperity
ImpactAlpha, July 9 – Elevating the power (and wages) of low-income workers is not typically at the top of investors’ agenda. But a fairer …
Photo credit: PolicyLink
Capitalism Reimagined | June 24, 2021
Turning pledges into policies to invest in Black Americans and multi-racial prosperity
ImpactAlpha, June 24 – Investors and executives can lead in many ways as they seek to fulfill their often heartfelt pledges to do …
Photo by Wayne Lee-Sing on Unsplash
The Reconstruction | June 17, 2021
Closing racial wealth gaps to deliver economic freedom for all
ImpactAlpha, June 17 – The promise of freedom was kept from enslaved people in Galveston, Texas for two and half years after the Emancipation …
Patterson Park neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland | Photo credit: Jon Bilous
Catalytic Capital | June 15, 2021
With billions in fresh capital, community lenders step up to finance a more inclusive economy
ImpactAlpha, June 15 – The COVID-19 disruption made stark how badly traditional banks and lenders have underserved small businesses and real estate in Black, …
Capitalism Reimagined | May 25, 2021
Seven ways finance has changed in the year since George Floyd’s murder
ImpactAlpha, May 25 – The raw injustice and the social protests that followed the murder of George Floyd pushed investors, corporate executives and policymakers …
The Collective's Sandra Dungee Glenn, Steven Sanders and Tayyib Smith
The Reconstruction | April 27, 2021
How a collective of Black developers is raising equity for inclusive real estate in Philadelphia
ImpactAlpha, Apr. 27 – Decades of failed policies and extractive investments have left Black neighborhoods in Philadelphia with undervalued housing, underfunded services and a …
Community Finance | April 20, 2021
Reviving a Black cultural corridor in West Oakland – as a community-led cooperative
In another era, Esther’s Orbit Room helped make West Oakland the “Harlem of the West,” hosting the likes of B.B. King, James Brown …
Past VC Include event | Photo: Oluwaseye Olusa
Return on Inclusion | March 30, 2021
How women and VCs of color are finding impact alpha with first-time funds
ImpactAlpha, Mar. 30 – Shayna Harris and Noramay Cadena of Chicago and L.A.-based Supply Change Capital are backing women and entrepreneurs of color who …
Capitalism Reimagined | March 12, 2021
American Rescue Plan brings policy support – and $1.9 trillion – to the bottom-up reconstruction
ImpactAlpha, Mar. 11 – The American Rescue Plan’s narrative of bottom-up prosperity for the post-Covid recovery resonates with a core thesis of impact finance: …
Catalytic Capital | March 9, 2021
Impact investors turn to revenue-based financing to bridge capital gaps for founders of color
ImpactAlpha, Mar. 9 – As Kim Folsom likes to say, Founders First is majoring in the minors. Rather than produce a few tech unicorns …
Kensington, Philadelphia | Photo: Lexey Swall/GRAIN for The Pew Charitable Trusts
Community Finance | February 23, 2021
Neighborhood trusts are taking on speculators and building community wealth
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 23 – Real estate speculators have new competition on the block: neighborhood trusts organized by residents determined to have a say – and …
(left to right) Nneka Uzoh, Taj Ahmad-Eldridge, Amy Duffuor, Christian Okoye, Jamila Jarmon, Devin Hampton, Danielle Harris | Photos courtesy of Greentech Noir
The Reconstruction | February 1, 2021
Solving for climate justice is giving these Black investors an edge in the green economy
ImpactAlpha, Feb 1 – The design mandate for the green economy: Develop better and cleaner solutions that create jobs, improve health and drive demonstrably …
Scenes from the Party to the Polls in Brunswick, GA | Michael Scott Milner
Civic Tech | January 5, 2021
How Georgia’s civic mobilization is rallying local efforts to close the racial wealth gap
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 5 – The impact of the massive voter education effort in Georgia may last well beyond today’s runoff election for two seats …
Photo credit: Good Work Network
Democracy and Power | November 23, 2020
Grassroots groups are mobilizing communities to take racial justice from protest to progress
With $30 million in grants to 60 local and national racial justice organizations, Kresge Foundation is seeking to harness the power of this …
Community Finance | November 19, 2020
LISC looks to “10X” investment in closing racial wealth gaps
ImpactAlpha Nov. 19 – The Local Initiatives Support Corp. wants to scale up the response to addressing persistent disparities in wealth, health and …
Entrepreneurship | October 20, 2020
When founders of color prosper, so will entrepreneurship in the post-COVID economy
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 20 – Investors and advocates are increasing their focus on Black and Brown-owned businesses, which even before COVID struggled to access …
Originals | October 2, 2020
Illumen Capital’s $85 million fund is combating fund manager biases to drive impact and alpha
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 2 – Reduced bias. Increased performance. More impact. That’s the timely thesis of Illumen Capital, the impact investment fund-of-funds led by Daryn …
Call Recording | October 1, 2020
Call No. 23 recap: Changing investment algorithms to advance racial justice
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 1 – What got us here won’t get us where we need to go. Guidelines that govern global finance need to …
Return on Inclusion | September 22, 2020
Changing the investment algorithm to advance racial justice
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 22 – It’s time to recode market systems that generate racial injustice. Last month’s Agents of Impact Call joined two conversations …
Entrepreneurship | September 2, 2020
Oakland Black Business Fund launches with COVID relief funding
ImpactAlpha, September 2 – Oakland Black Business Fund, a new nonprofit investment fund, aims to help Black-owned businesses weather and recover from the …
Call Recording | August 27, 2020
Call No. 22: Rooting out racism as a systemic risk
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 27 – Investors have been talking about systemic risks at least since the Great Financial Crisis of 2008. More recently, climate …
Return on Inclusion | August 13, 2020
How investors are challenging assumptions and building portfolios to advance racial equity
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 13 – The national reckoning with racial justice has generated a raft of reports and resources for investors. Recent contributions: Inconvenient …
Originals | July 28, 2020
Q&A with Founders First’s Kim Folsom: Helping diverse founders grow businesses with revenue-based financing
ImpactAlpha, July 28 – The national focus on racial justice has expanded to include equity in finance and investing. Implicit bias in venture …
Entrepreneurship | July 20, 2020
Expanding the pool of entrepreneurs and ownership structures that have access to capital
ImpactAlpha, July 20 – Revenue-sharing, ‘collaborative endorsements,’ and diverse referral networks are among the strategies being explored by the first funds chosen by …
Return on Inclusion | July 14, 2020
Open Society Foundations backs racial justice groups with $220 million
ImpactAlpha, July 13 – Spurred by the ongoing social mobilization, George Soros’ foundation is placing long-term bets on activists. The foundation will put …
Creative Economy | June 29, 2020
LeBron James signals opportunity for ‘empowerment’ media with $100 million raise
ImpactAlpha, June 29 – NBA megastar LeBron James and his long-time friend and business partner Maverick Carter raised $100 million for SpringHill Co, …
Return on Inclusion | June 22, 2020
Investors commit to racial justice action
ImpactAlpha, June 22 – More than 100 institutional investors signed on to a Racial Justice Investing Coalition pledge to address structural racism. “We …
Catalytic Capital | June 18, 2020
Scaling the ‘capillary banking system’ to expand access to capital
ImpactAlpha, June 18 – When the COVID crisis hit, Alphabet’s philanthropic arm, Google.org, zeroed in on boosting access to capital for women and …
Nadia Brigham (top left), Sarah Eagle Heart (top right), Erika Alexander (bottom left) and Javier Torres-Campos (bottom right)
Return on Inclusion | June 11, 2020
Spectrum of companies, capital and creatives aim for justice
ImpactAlpha, June 10 – Protests in the streets continue to challenge systemic injustices. Agents of Impact at this week’s Spectrum conference, produced by …
Capitalism Reimagined | June 4, 2020
Investing in racial justice by shifting narratives, power and capital
ImpactAlpha, June 4 – Social justice protests in the streets are exposing misperceptions of risk and opportunity in financial markets. Systemic racial bias …
Entrepreneurship | June 3, 2020
Local funds model the racial reckoning and renewal central to the COVID recovery
ImpactAlpha, June 3 – If the COVID crisis has laid bare longstanding inequities, the widespread protests over the police killing of George Floyd …
Catalytic Capital | May 13, 2020
Overheard at the Mission Investors Exchange: Inclusive and catalytic capital
ImpactAlpha, May 12 – Decades of experience battling racial and economic disparities must be brought to bear on the COVID crisis, said presidents …
Entrepreneurship | April 23, 2020
Will low-income and communities of color again fall through the cracks of small-business relief?
ImpactAlpha, April 23 – Hopes were high in community finance circles that the fresh round of federal small business relief funding would carve …
Entrepreneurship | April 9, 2020
How community banks and local lenders are bridging racial gaps in COVID recovery
ImpactAlpha, April 9 – When President Trump gathered bankers for a video conference about financial relief for small businesses, CEOs of Goldman Sachs, …
Entrepreneurship | March 11, 2020
How community investment funds are building resiliency to disasters, pandemics and economic shocks
ImpactAlpha, March 11 – After Hurricane Katrina, Jessica Norwood watched systems break down all around her community of Prichard, Alabama, a community of color …
Institutional Shift | February 19, 2020
Foundations are diversifying who manages their billion-dollar endowments
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 19 – Asset allocators inside pension funds, endowments, foundations and sovereign funds overwhelmingly select white and male-owned firms to manage their …
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
Looking Ahead to 2021 | January 31, 2020
Centering Blackness in the U.S. economic recovery and reconstruction in 2021
The period after the Civil War was a time of great ferment, division – and systemic change. Today’s confluence of pandemic, division and …
Creative Economy | December 16, 2019
Local, inclusive and entrepreneurial: How stakeholders are taking back capitalism in 2020
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 16 – The people are rising up. Protests erupted this year in cities around the globe, sparked by price hikes and …
Entrepreneurship | December 10, 2019
Inclusive capital means more flexible terms and more diverse founders
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 10 – The venture capital model has fostered a culture of growth at any cost – and of founder homogeneity. Pitchbook …
affordable-housing | December 4, 2019
‘Neighborhood investment company’ helps Los Angeles residents buy back the block
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 4, 2019 – Real estate shapes our cities and neighborhoods. And capital shapes real estate. A new model that enables local …
Entrepreneurship | November 5, 2019
Candide Group raises $40 million fund for community lenders advancing racial justice
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 5 – A lack of capital has made it harder for entrepreneurs in underserved communities to build wealth. The few funders working …
Entrepreneurship | October 29, 2019
Moving from community development to community wealth
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 29 – With inequality at an all-time high, cities are rethinking their decades-old approach to community revitalization. A “quiet revolution” is …
Entrepreneurship | October 24, 2019
Oakland’s community capitalists are modeling an inclusive economy
ImpactAlpha 24, 2019 – The New York Times columnist David Brooks wants to build a national movement of social fabric “weavers.” Oakland’s already …
Entrepreneurship | October 17, 2019
Q&A with Rodney Foxworth: Redistributing wealth, democratizing power and shifting economic control for our Common Future
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 15 – The median wealth of African Americans is on track to drop to zero by 2050. The lack of progress on the …
Creative Economy | September 12, 2019
Investing in the impact of powerful new voices in film and video games
“Creating Impact,” ImpactAlpha’s series of articles on impact media, is sponsored by Upstart Co-Lab, a national collaboration disrupting how creativity is funded by connecting …
Originals | August 13, 2019
The better fund managers of color perform, the more bias they face
ImpactAlpha, August 13 – It’s not a pipeline problem. Of the $69.1 trillion in assets managed by mutual funds, hedge funds, real estate and …
Entrepreneurship | July 30, 2019
From resistance to revival: Can the Democratic debates mobilize support for America’s inclusive economic agenda?
ImpactAlpha, July 30 – Democratic candidates have a chance to turn resistance into revival. In this week’s debates in Detroit, policy wonks will spot …
Return on Inclusion | July 3, 2019
Wakanda’s on-screen lessons for ‘inclusion alpha’
ImpactAlpha, July 3 – Black Panther’s big screen story of Black technological and economic power resonated with the team at Impact America Fund (see, …
Originals | June 19, 2019
How Kellogg Foundation is interrupting racial bias in capital markets
Detroit, Mich. – Hidden prejudices show up in health and education outcomes that divide along racial lines. Implicit bias shapes capital markets as well. …
Entrepreneurship | June 5, 2019
At least five ideas for broadening access to capital for entrepreneurs
ImpactAlpha, June 5 – A tweet about barriers to access to capital for entrepreneurs sparked an outpouring of ideas for removing them. The …
Entrepreneurship | May 21, 2019
Equity crowdfunding changes who gets financed
ImpactAlpha, May 21 – Three years after the equity crowdfunding exemption in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups, or JOBS, Act took effect, startups and …
Entrepreneurship | May 10, 2019
Kapor Capital outperforms by ‘closing gaps’ for communities of color
ImpactAlpha, May 10 – Every investment firm aspires to rank in the top quartile of comparable firms. Not many achieve that rank by focusing …
Place-Based Investing | March 25, 2019
How community lenders are boosting the pipeline and diversity of investable projects
ImpactAlpha, March 25 – The Reinvestment Fund’s research on food systems, for example, increased the collective capacity of community development financiers to lend to grocery …
Place-Based Investing | March 11, 2019
Investing for racial equity: highlights from Confluence Philanthropy’s practitioners’ gathering
ImpactAlpha, March 11 – Communities of color—particularly African and Native Americans—are notoriously underserved and undercapitalized. Exacerbating the problem is the lack of diversity in …
Creative Economy | February 26, 2019
‘Inclusive cannabis’ investors apply a racial-equity lens to a high-flying industry
ImpactAlpha, February 26 – It was 2016 and recreational weed was barreling toward legalization in California. Christine de la Rosa and her co-founders …
Faith-Based Investing | July 19, 2018
The Impact Alpha: A minister’s call for moral, as well as economic, revival
Fifty years after the assassination of Martin Luther King, another black southern minister is paying homage by organizing a new popular movement for …
Entrepreneurship | March 2, 2018
Melissa Bradley: Boosting the success of Washington D.C.’s founders of color
New Revivalists is a series from ImpactAlpha and Village Capital profiling the people, places and policies reviving entrepreneurship — and the American Dream. New Revivalist: Melissa …
Entrepreneurship | March 1, 2018
Daryn Dodson: Tackling investors’ racial and gender biases to unlock hidden value
New Revivalists is a series from ImpactAlpha and Village Capital profiling the people, places and policies reviving entrepreneurship — and the American Dream. New Revivalist: Daryn …
Entrepreneurship | January 30, 2018
Arlan Hamilton: The VC taking cold calls from underestimated entrepreneurs
New Revivalists is a series from ImpactAlpha and Village Capital profiling the people, places and policies reviving entrepreneurship — and the American Dream. New Revivalist: Arlan …
Impact Voices
Martin Luther King Jr. Mural at the National Historic Site in Atlanta, GA (photo: Forty3Zero)
Community Finance | September 2, 2021
Centering civil rights in community finance
Americans are admonished that opportunity is available to those who are willing to “pull themselves up by their bootstraps.” Let’s measure how long …
New York | Photo credit: Glynnis Jones
Community Finance | August 9, 2021
Redefining risk to catalyze capital for community-based real estate developers
Corporate America’s diversity problem is well-established. The disparities in the real estate industry, which controls the levers of how entire communities are shaped, …
Capitalism Reimagined | July 14, 2021
There’s no building back better without investing in underserved communities
Between record levels of government stimulus, an unprecedented vaccination campaign and a buzzing economy, it’s easy to see reasons for optimism as America …
CEO Robert Carter and owner-operator Shekita Hammond. Courtesy of Carter Transportation Group.
Impact Voices | July 12, 2021
How usable capital can unleash Black business growth and close racial gaps
Carter Transportation is a minority-owned freight delivery service that operates nationwide. It is a relatively young company, without an operating history for traditional …
Impact Voices | June 28, 2021
Centering disability justice and including Covid long haulers in the post-pandemic economy
Since recovering from COVID-19 last November, I have experienced brain fog, heart issues, intense fatigue, sleepless nights, and difficulty breathing. In May, I …
Juneteenth parade Philadelphia | Photo credit: Tippman98x
Impact Voices | June 17, 2021
Celebrating Juneteenth through community-based lending for vibrant neighborhoods
The promise of freedom was kept from enslaved people in Galveston, Texas for two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. On June …
Photo by Sajad Nori on Unsplash
Capitalism Reimagined | June 17, 2021
To help address systemic racism impact investing needs to get systemic
Even before our society shut down for 13+ months, before a summer of uprisings against racial injustice, and before a historic election season that …
Photo credit: Wave Break Media
Catalytic Capital | May 21, 2021
Family office opportunities for impact-first investments in racial equity and justice
The COVID-19 pandemic’s devastating toll on communities of color and concurrent national protests against recurring police violence toward Black people have sparked a …
Carmen Rojas of The Marguerite Casey Foundation | Photo credit: The Nonprofit Times
Impact Voices | May 4, 2021
100 Days of President Biden: Progress and peril on the road to a just economy
As the Biden administration completes its first 100 days, I am both surprised by the ambition of this administration and disappointed by its …
Boston Ujima Project | Photo credit: Boston Ujima Project
Impact Voices | April 20, 2021
Centering community voices and power in investment processes
The increased investor attention to racism and the inequality laid bare by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis has intersected, at long last, with the …
National Memorial for Peace and Justice, Montgomery, AL | Photo credit: DiAnna Paulk
Impact Voices | April 15, 2021
Grounding investors in history to ensure this Reconstruction delivers on its promise
For us at Illumen Capital, the echoes of history are never far from the work at hand. We know we can only begin …
Image by Claudio Schwarz / Pulled from Community Credit Lab website
Capitalism Reimagined | April 1, 2021
Sacrificing returns? These community investors ask if they’re sacrificing impact.
The time is now for the impact investing sector to reflect on how it does business, how it frames success, and begin to …
Community Finance | March 30, 2021
Five ways that lenders can interrupt racism and provide restorative-justice capital in our communities
Can community development financial institutions be anti-racist? Don’t answer too quickly. For those familiar with the history of CDFIs, specifically created to align …
Impact Voices | October 28, 2020
Why investing corporate cash to close racial wealth gaps can shore up long-term growth
Technology has enabled some big winners in the world of commerce. The five largest U.S. companies by market cap – Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, …
Entrepreneurship | October 20, 2020
Path to 15|55 has $100 million in commitments to grow Black businesses
Business ownership and entrepreneurship are some of the best tools we have to grow the wealth of Black communities. “The median net worth …
Entrepreneurship | October 20, 2020
How corporations can make good on their racial equity pledges
Netflix and Goldman Sachs are in vastly different businesses, but in formulating their responses to the racial crisis facing America, these corporations came …
Capitalism Reimagined | September 23, 2020
Corporate deposits in CDFIs are good. Equity investments would be even better.
Community development financial institutions are having a moment – finally being recognized for their critical role in supporting low-wealth communities. CDFIs are on …
Impact Voices | September 17, 2020
Digging deeper to root out racism in investment portfolios
Investors need to build a broader toolbox for advancing racial justice. To do that, we need to experiment with strategies that demonstrate what …
Democracy and Peace | September 1, 2020
How impact investors can help ensure racial justice includes electoral justice
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 1 – With voter registration deadlines rapidly approaching, our firm is seeing a desire amongst impact investors to elevate voting rights …
Catalytic Capital | August 25, 2020
How investors can blend finance for CDFIs to advance economic and racial justice
Community development finance institutions have long been “first responders” to small businesses in historically underinvested communities. The COVID-19 pandemic has in stark terms …
Impact Voices | August 13, 2020
How Babcock Foundation is investing its endowment with a focus on racial justice
The disproportionate harms to Black Americans wrought by COVID and those wrought by police brutality are symptoms of the same disease: racism hardwired …
Entrepreneurship | August 13, 2020
Buying Black shouldn’t be so hard. Here’s how investors can help.
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 13 – I have always done my best to support businesses that are led by people of color. Since I am …
Impact Voices | August 11, 2020
Dismantling structural racism in community development finance
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 11 – By most measures, the federal New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program has been a resounding success. Since its creation …
Impact Voices | July 2, 2020
How to unlock the value of diversity and inclusion in impact investing
It’s time for the impact investing community to lead the investing world in breaking through the systemic barriers that impede capital from flowing to Black leaders and other leaders of color.
Entrepreneurship | June 23, 2020
The $55 billion plan: Accelerating Black-owned businesses to create wealth, jobs and growth
A systemic problem requires a systemic solution. Black businesses, because of lack of access to capital, among other reasons, cannot grow and hire …
Photo by Myleen Hollero
Democracy and Power | June 10, 2020
Black and brown employee ownership for the post-COVID economy
Black and brown ownership matters in rebuilding a more just, equitable and resilient economy. The murder of George Floyd and the heroic actions …
Impact Voices | May 7, 2019
Hacking community lending to interrupt racial bias in ‘appraised value’
ImpactAlpha, May 7 – No nonprofit or small business should have to raise more money to serve kids in communities of color than they …
Dealflow
Photo credit: Elemental Excelerator
Climate and Clean Tech | September 8, 2021
Elemental Excelerator spins out Earthshot Ventures with $60 million for inclusive climate tech
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 8 – Honolulu-based Elemental has built a track record over the past decade backing entrepreneurs like BlocPower’s Donnel Baird and ChargerHelp’s Kameale …
Photo credit: Apple.
Climate and Clean Tech | August 18, 2021
Apple’s inaugural Impact Accelerator includes 15 Black and Brown climate startup founders
ImpactAlpha, August 18 — The accelerator is part of Apple’s $100 million Racial Equity Equity Initiative launched in June 2020. The three-month training …
Photo credit: Modern Healthcare.
Dealflow | August 17, 2021
Clinify Health and HUED raise funding to improve access to health providers for underserved communities
ImpactAlpha, August 17 — Chicago-based Clinify is aiming to improve healthcare access and outcomes for families by combining financial and clinical data with …
Photo credit: Black Enterprise.
Catalytic Capital | August 11, 2021
Packard Foundation commits $25 million to address racial disparities in credit
ImpactAlpha, August 11 — More than 50% of white U.S. households have a FICO credit score above 700, compared with only 21% of …
iStock/izusek.
affordable-housing | July 15, 2021
Enterprise Community Partners’ racial equity bond raises $30 million
ImpactAlpha, July 15 — Minneapolis-based U.S. Bank purchased the first $10 million for the bond, the first to be issued by a community …
Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash
affordable-housing | July 1, 2021
Enterprise Community Partners closes $229 million affordable and workforce housing equity fund
ImpactAlpha, July 1 – The $229 million Enterprise Preservation Fund seeks to acquire and preserve $800 million in existing affordable and workforce rental …
Photo credit: Media Frenzy.
Catalytic Capital | June 22, 2021
Google for Startups launches second $5 million Black Founders Fund
ImpactAlpha, June 22 — Google launched its inaugural $5 million Black Founders Fund last year as part of its $175 million initiative to …
Photo credit: iStock.com
Dealflow | June 14, 2021
Micron backs women-owned Seelaus Asset Management to advance housing equity
ImpactAlpha, June 14 — Boise, Idaho-based Micron Technology last year committed $50 million to an impact strategy managed by RBC Global Asset Management …
Photo credit: Tulsa People.
Dealflow | June 2, 2021
One hundred years later, investing in the reconstruction of Black Wall Street
ImpactAlpha, June 2 — President Biden became the first president to commemorate the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre that destroyed the thriving Black community …
Photo credit: Chris Shinn/Spelman College.
Dealflow | June 1, 2021
Base10 will donate half its profits in a new $250 million fund to historically Black colleges and universities
ImpactAlpha, June 1 — Limited partners in the Black-led San Francisco venture firm’s Advancement Initiative fund include Howard University, Florida A&M, Hampton University, …
Photo credit: Collab Capital portfolio company Hairbrella
Dealflow | May 27, 2021
Collab Capital closes $50 million Black innovation fund
ImpactAlpha, May 27 – Atlanta-based Collab Capital launched its fund less than a year ago to invest in early-stage, Black-led businesses that are building …
Catalytic Capital | May 26, 2021
LISC closes $250 million Black Economic Development Fund to catalyze capital for racial equity
ImpactAlpha, May 26 — The vehicle’s objectives: Increasing access to capital for businesses that support economic growth in Black communities. Strengthening local Black …
Photo credit: Thrilling
Creative Economy | May 16, 2021
Thrilling raises $8.5 million for secondhand fashion marketplace
ImpactAlpha, May 16 – L.A.-based Thrilling has raised $8.5 million to expand its secondhand fashion marketplace. The Black and Asian-owned startup helps small vintage …
Lake Street in Minneapolis, MN | Photo credit: Sam Wagner
Catalytic Capital | May 6, 2021
Helping communities acquire assets and rebuild small businesses in Minnesota
ImpactAlpha, May 6 – The conviction of former officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd sent a signal to residents of Minneapolis …
Photo credit: ExecOnline
Dealflow | April 22, 2021
ExecOnline raises $45 million to diversify corporate leadership
ImpactAlpha, Apr. 22 – Less than 1% of Fortune 500 CEOs are Black. Less than 10% are women. ExecOnline partners with business schools to …
Photo credit: AdvancedAg, an Indigenous-owned water and agtech company in Alberta
Canada | April 20, 2021
Indigenous Growth Fund raises $150 million to back Native lenders in Canada
ImpactAlpha, April 20 – A new fund in Canada is aiming to impact marginalized Indigenous communities by channelling capital to Indigenous-owned financial institutions. The …
PC: Reinventure Capital.
Dealflow | April 8, 2021
MassMutual backs Reinventure Capital fund for diverse founders
ImpactAlpha, April 8 — A Reinventure Capital impact venture fund, led by Edward Dugger III, received a “catalytic commitment” of $5 million from …
Kathryn Finney. Photo by Genius Guild.
Dealflow | April 6, 2021
Genius Guild scores $5 million financing to back Black-led tech ventures
ImpactAlpha, April 6 — Racial inequities have cost the U.S. economy more than $16 trillion over the past two decades. Closing racial gaps …
Dealflow | April 1, 2021
Harlem Capital closes $134 million second fund to back diverse entrepreneurs
ImpactAlpha, April 1 — New York-based venture firm Harlem Capital aims to invest in 1,000 companies led by women and minority founders over …
ChargerHelp's Evette Ellis and Kameale Terry | Photo: ChargerHelp
Clean Energy | March 31, 2021
ChargerHelp raises $2.8 million to repair EV chargers with good green jobs
ImpactAlpha, Mar. 31 – The U.S. will need to add roughly 20 million electric-vehicle charging stations by 2030, per McKinsey. The South Central L.A.-based …
Climate and Clean Tech | March 30, 2021
MaC Venture Capital raises $110 million for culture-change startups
ImpactAlpha, March 30 — LA-based early-stage venture firm MaC Venture Capital aims to see women and people of color represented in society, business …
Corporate Venture Capital | March 29, 2021
Greenwood scores $40 million from top financial institutions to bank Black and Latino Americans
ImpactAlpha, March 29 — Greenwood, Black-led neobank founded by former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young, rapper Michael ‘Killer Mike’ Render, and Bounce TV’s Ryan …
Dealflow | March 15, 2021
General Catalyst aims latest SPAC at Black tech founders
ImpactAlpha, March 15 – Listings of special purpose acquisition companies, or SPACs, hit a record in February, raising more than $27 billion. Venture capital …
Bitwise founders Jake Soberal and Irma Olguin Jr.
Dealflow | February 24, 2021
Bitwise Industries raises $50 million to go national with its model for inclusive tech ecosystems
ImpactAlpha, February 24 — Before the growth of Bitwise Industries, few would have mistaken Fresno, California, for a tech hub, even though the …
Clean Energy | February 23, 2021
Brooklyn’s BlocPower raises $63 million to green U.S. buildings
ImpactAlpha, February 23 — BlocPower works with utility companies, government agencies and property owners to retrofit city buildings in underserved communities and finance …
Dealflow | January 12, 2021
Black-led real estate firm East Chop Capital closes $4 million fund
ImpactAlpha, January 12 — Columbus, Ohio-based East Chop Capital, founded by a pair of Black real estate investors and developers, has rallied Black …
Adasina's Rachel Robasciotti
Dealflow | December 15, 2020
Adasina launches ETF of public equities screened for social justice values
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 15 – Financial activism firm Adasina Social Capital has launched the Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF (NYSE: JSTC) on the …
Dealflow | December 9, 2020
Fifth Third Bank pledges $2.8 billion to accelerating racial equity
ImpactAlpha, December 9 — Several banks have pledged billions this year to advance racial equity in response to the racial justice movement, like …
Photo Credit: SoLa Impact.
Community Finance | December 8, 2020
SoLa Impact’s billion-dollar impact fund targets Black and Latinx communities
ImpactAlpha, December 8 — SoLa Impact, a family of social impact-focused affordable housing funds, launched a billion-dollar fund to build affordable housing in …
Dealflow | December 7, 2020
Rise of the Rest backs Black-led startups
ImpactAlpha, December 7 — Three Black-led, U.S.-based companies landed a combined $2 million in investment capital and other commitments through Revolution’s Rise of …
Dealflow | November 16, 2020
‘Justice tech’ and edtech ventures selected for gener8tor social enterprise accelerator
ImpactAlpha, November 16 — The Madison, Wis.-based gBeta Social Impact’s virtual accelerator is supporting 10 founders addressing equity in education and criminal justice …
Illustration by Tomi Um.
Corporate Cash | November 12, 2020
Twitter invests $100 million in OFN’s new racial justice fund
ImpactAlpha, November 12 — Google, Netflix, PayPal, Square. Twitter is the latest big-tech firm to throw its weight — and corporate cash — …
Dealflow | October 29, 2020
New and under-represented fund managers get a $50 million boost from Paypal
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 28 – The online payments company is injecting $50 million into eight early-stage venture funds run by Black and Latino managers to …
Catalytic Capital | October 28, 2020
LISC bets on Fearless Fund with $750,000 investment in first-time fund managers
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 27 – One of the best ways to get more capital to entrepreneurs of color is to have more venture funds …
Catalytic Capital | October 27, 2020
Impact America’s $55 million second fund is hunting for unicorns in the disruption of systemic racism
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 27 – Kesha Cash has raised $55 million to look for technologies that address one of the largest market inefficiencies of our …
Michael “Killer Mike” Render, Ambassador Andrew J. Young and Ryan Glover are founders of Greenwood, the first digital banking platform for Black and Latinx people and business owners. Greenwood features best-in-class online banking services and innovative ways of giving back to Black and Latinx causes and businesses.
Dealflow | October 12, 2020
Greenwood raises $3 million for a digital bank for Black and Latinx customers
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 12 – ‘Neobank’ Greenwood, founded by former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young, rapper Michael ‘Killer Mike’ Render, and Bounce TV’s Ryan Glover, …
Dealflow | October 12, 2020
JPMorgan commits billions to build Black and Latinx wealth
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 12 – JPMorgan Chase is touting $30 billion in commitments to close the racial wealth gap. JPMorgan Chase will add $8 …
Creative Economy | October 8, 2020
Creative economy fund for underserved communities launches with an investment in Techstars
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 8 – Concord, a music and theatrical publishing and management firm, has created a $10 million impact investment initiative to support …
Dealflow | September 29, 2020
Bank of America issues $2 billion ‘equality progress’ bond to advance racial equity
ImpactAlpha, September 29 – Bank of America has issued a $2 billion bond to advance racial equity. Proceeds from the five-year bond will …
Dealflow | September 23, 2020
Lightship Capital invests in fashion brand Haute Hijab
ImpactAlpha, September 23 – Melanie Elturk founded Haute Hijab to serve hundreds of millions of Muslim women underserved by global clothing brands. Backstage …
Dealflow | September 21, 2020
Mastercard commits $500 million over five years to reduce racial wealth and opportunity gaps
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 21 – Mastercard has committed $500 million over five years to reduce racial wealth and opportunity gaps. “The economic costs of …
Dealflow | August 27, 2020
Broadway Financial and City First Bank merge to boost access capital in underserved urban areas
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 27 – The joining of the Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.-based community development financial institutions, or CDFIs, will create the largest …
Agrifood Tech | July 16, 2020
Lightship Capital backs foodtech startup FreshFry as its first investment
ImpactAlpha, July 16 – Louisville, Ky.-based FreshFry has developed a plant-based product that helps food service businesses extend the life of frying oil. …
Dealflow | July 1, 2020
Netflix to move $100 million in cash deposits to lenders in Black communities
How companies deploy their cash reserves is becoming an issue of governance, the ‘G’ in ESG.
Dealflow | June 10, 2020
Collab Capital launches fund for Black founders
ImpactAlpha, June 10 – Before the economic fallout of COVID and mass mobilization for racial justice, Jewel Solomon Burks, Justin Dawkins and Barry …
Dealflow | June 8, 2020
Andreesen Horowitz and Softbank launch venture funds for diverse entrepreneurs
ImpactAlpha, June 8 – Venture capitalists have long been criticized for funding mostly white, male founders. Just one percent of venture-backed founders are …
Dealflow | May 20, 2020
Olamina Fund deploys first $14.5 million to Black, Native and rural lenders
ImpactAlpha, May 20 – The $40 million Olamina Fund fund was launched by Candide Group in November to address a persistent lack of …
Dealflow | December 9, 2019
Plexo Capital seeks “inclusion alpha” with new $42.5 million fund
ImpactAlpha, December 9 – Lo Toney was still a partner at GV (formerly Google Ventures) when he started Plexo. The GV spinout invests …
Dealflow | December 3, 2019
Harlem Capital raises $40 million to ‘change the face of entrepreneurship’
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 2 – New York-based venture firm Harlem Capital closed a $40 million fund to invest in U.S. companies led by women …
Dealflow | September 11, 2019
11 Black-owned tech startups join Durham’s Black Founders Exchange
Eleven ventures from across the country will participate in the Black Founders Exchange, an immersive program for founders of color kicking off this …
Dealflow | July 16, 2019
Opportunity Zone Justice accelerates returning citizen entrepreneurs in Washington D.C.
ImpactAlpha, July 15 – Consulting firm 20 Degrees, which helps nonprofits and social enterprises diversify revenues, is helping stock D.C.’s Opportunity Zone investment pipeline …
Dealflow | July 12, 2019
Brooklyn’s Incubator Project backs local nonprofits driving racial justice
ImpactAlpha, July 12 — Brooklyn is a diverse borough, made up of people of color, immigrants and other minority groups. Since 2015, the Brooklyn …
Dealflow | July 1, 2019
Squire secures $8 million to bring barbershops into the digital age
ImpactAlpha, July 1 – Songe LaRon, Dave Salvant and Yas Tabasam founded Squire in 2016 out of frustration that they couldn’t reliably find a good …
Dealflow | June 25, 2019
Prudential backs Aura to help underbanked customers build their financial futures
ImpactAlpha, June 25 – Prudential Financial invested $10 million in fintech company Aura to help adults in the U.S. boost their financial health, starting with …
Dealflow | June 25, 2019
TPG invests in Harlem Capital and its fund for minority entrepreneurs
ImpactAlpha, June 25 – Investors are moving to seize “inclusion alpha.” TPG made an undisclosed equity investment in New York-based Harlem Capital, which invests in …
Dealflow | May 21, 2019
Upswing clinches $2 million to help underserved students navigate and complete university
ImpactAlpha, May 21 – Private equity big shot Robert Smith changed the lives of Morehouse College’s latest graduating class with a promise to pay off …
Dealflow | April 22, 2019
Serena Williams’ portfolio of diverse and impactful startups
ImpactAlpha, April 22 – Tennis mega-star Serena Williams has (not-so-quietly) invested millions over the last five years into dozens of diverse-led and impactful startups. …
Creative Economy | March 11, 2019
Backstage accelerator backs 25 underestimated founders in Detroit, Philadelphia, L.A. and London
ImpactAlpha, March 11 – WhoseYourLandlord, founded in Philadelphia by Ofo Ezeugwu to empower and inform renters, is among the first 25 companies backed by Backstage Capital’s …
Dealflow | February 28, 2019
Landit lands $13 million to support professional growth for women and minorities
ImpactAlpha, February 27 – Professional development and coaching firm Landit has raised a $13 million Series A funding round led by WeWork. The company …
Dealflow | February 27, 2019
Haute Hijab raises $2.3 million for ethically-sourced headscarves
ImpactAlpha, February 26 – New York-based fashion company Haute Hijab was one of 64 companies venture capital firm Backstage Capital seeded with its …
Calls
Photo by K. Mitch Hodge on Unsplash
Call Recording | July 9, 2021
Call No. 29: Capitalism reimagined for fair gainsharing and equitable prosperity
ImpactAlpha, July 9 – Elevating the power (and wages) of low-income workers is not typically at the top of investors’ agenda. But a fairer …
Call Recording | October 1, 2020
Call No. 23 recap: Changing investment algorithms to advance racial justice
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 1 – What got us here won’t get us where we need to go. Guidelines that govern global finance need to …
Call Recording | August 27, 2020
Call No. 22: Rooting out racism as a systemic risk
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 27 – Investors have been talking about systemic risks at least since the Great Financial Crisis of 2008. More recently, climate …
Agents of Impact
Bold leaders. Taking action. Driving impact.