Impact Investing Benefits Baltimore; We Need More of It

credit: USACE on Flickr

"There always seems to be a shortage of resources to seize those opportunities," writes Baltimore Community Foundation President Shanaysha Saul in an op-ed in the Baltimore Sun.

"Even when hundreds of millions of dollars come our way, it feels like a drop in the bucket after decades of disinvestment."

That's why the foundation, which was established 50 years ago to be a permanent philanthropic endowment for the region, is stepping up its efforts in "impact investing," Saul writes.

"The potential for impact investing to transform our city is truly incredibleand its effects could be felt even more deeply if we expand the pool," Saul writes.

In Baltimore, for example, the BCF has co-invested more than $1 million into projects including small-business loans to minority- and women-owned businesses, micro- loans to refugees, and affordable housing.

"We often rail about the unfair portrayal of our city in national media, but among impact investors, we are seen as a leader to learn from and emulate," Saul writes.

"We must seize on this buzz and momentum, because from my vantage point, this is the real story of our charming citypassionate people coming together, seeking innovation at every turn, multiplying individual contributions into collective impact to build a better Read the Entire Article

A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.

How's Your Community Doing?
Check Out it's
Community Vital Signs

Palladium and Bamboo Boost Fundraising Bonds

"In a move set to transform the fundraising landscape, global impact firm Palladium has deepened its ties with asset management arm Bamboo Capital Partners, aiming to bolster their fundraising...more

South Berkshire Rural Health Network Gets State Grant

The South Berkshire Rural Health Network has been awarded $11,820 to develop a strategic plan and improve connections to the region's most vulnerable residents as part of a $250,000 grant from the...more

The Department of Local Affairs Is Seeking Applicants for the Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant Program

If you're a small, community-based nonprofit with an annual budget of between $150,000 and $2 million, Colorado has just the thing for you. The state's Department of Local Affairs is now...more

What Do We Know about New Schools in the United States?
Foundation: Carnegie Corporation of New York

A new report from the Carnegie Corporation of New York finds that more than half of America's public schools opened in the last 30 yearsand that's a big deal. "That is wild!" says Robin Lake,...more

The Impact In Music, Media And Philanthropy Of 27-Year-Old Entrepreneur David Daxsen

"The true satisfaction" for 27-year-old record label founder David Daxsen "lies in witnessing the transformative power of music and nurturing the growth of artists who have touched the hearts of...more

Derek Jeter Is Still an All-Star When It Comes to Helping Kids
Foundation: Turn 2 Foundation

When New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter retired from baseball in 2013, he and his father, substance abuse counselor Sanderson Charles Jeter, set up the Turn 2 Foundation to educate and encourage...more

Over 250 Nonprofits Signed Up for Rural Philanthropy Days Next Week in Southwest Colorado
Foundation: Gates Foundation, Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado

"It's a really unique opportunity because it does bring together those regional funders, and then those Front Range funders that fund (across the state) but maybe haven't been down here recently,"...more

Reasons to Love Chattanooga'S People and Philanthropic Spirit
Foundation: Benwood Foundation, Lyndhurst Foundation

The city of Chattanooga, Tenn., has been named one of America's best cities to live, Quartz reports. According to the Chattanoogan, the top 10 cities to live in America are all in the South, with...more

Us Companies, Nudged by Black Employees, Have Stepped Up Donations to Hbcus

Black colleges and universities, which had seen giving from foundations decline in recent decades, lately are benefiting from an increase in gifts, particularly from corporations and corporate...more

Us Companies, Nudged by Black Employees, Have Stepped Up Donations to Hbcus

"It was like manna from heaven." That's how Natalie Coles describes a $500,000 donation from Dominion Energy to Wilberforce University, a historically black college in Ohio. The money went...more