One Acre Fund (1AF) is an innovative, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa improve their yield, increase their income, and build sustainable food supply and livelihoods. In 2024, Natural Investments finalized its due diligence of 1AF and added its Notes Fund as our newest investment open to clients looking to make […]
One Acre Fund: Putting Farmers First for Lasting Impact Read More »
In 2016, the power of Indigenous People was spotlighted by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe-led #NODAPL movement, a protest against the building of the Dakota Access pipeline that would cut through Tribal lands and waters. Though the #NODAPL movement was not able to overcome the power and pressure to build the pipeline, it proved to
Standing Rock: Forging the Way into a Native-led Energy Future Read More »
According to the 2022 census, 11.5% of the U.S. population lives in poverty. That’s nearly 38 million people. Living in poverty means earning less than $15,060 per year for an individual, or $31,200 for a family of four. It also means struggling to access quality food, education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. In some communities, the
Spotlight: Capital Impact Partners – A Case for Fair Finance Read More »
LocalCode Kansas City is a Black woman-owned, regenerative real estate development company based in the east side of Kansas City, Mo. The company, co-founded by Ajia Morris, an attorney, real estate developer, mother of four, and longtime resident of the east side’s urban core, was created to directly address the city’s intergenerational racial wealth inequality
Real estate is an asset class that generally appreciates in value and offers owners the ability to leverage equity for additional capital. Even with the risk of tying up money in an immovable asset and the maintenance costs associated with it, home ownership is still one of the primary wealth-building tools for Americans. There is
Did You Know Affordable Housing Bonds Are in Your Portfolio? Read More »
On Oct. 8-11, I served on the agenda committee of the ESG for Impact Conference in Broomfield, Colorado, and coordinated two panels within the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion track. The first panel, “Creativity, Connection, and Community: ESG+I and Indigenous Investment Success,” discussed how investors can approach Indigenous partnership by supporting community values, data sovereignty,
ESG for Impact Conference Emphasizes Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Read More »
On Oct. 23-25 last fall, I attended SOCAP23 in San Francisco. The 15th annual conference brought together 3,200 investors, entrepreneurs, and social impact leaders to accelerate progress toward solving the world’s toughest challenges through market-based solutions. A recurring theme of the conference was the precarious state of our climate and the need for a worldwide
SOCAP Global in San Francisco Highlights Indigenous Voices Read More »
On Oct. 2-3 last fall, at The Assembly of Black Possibilities, a two-day convening in Boston, I ran a workshop with Tiffany Brown of NI and Chordata Capital called “Money Talks: Aligning Your Values with Investment Choices.” We had the opportunity to share our core values, engage in “real talk” about the opportunities and limitations
The Assembly of Black Possibilities Invites Participants to Rethink Investment Practices Read More »
As a firm, Natural Investments has long provided portfolio management and financial planning services to institutional clients across the country. By the end of December 2022, there were 27 nonprofit and foundation clients with about $90 million in assets under management firmwide. In this article, we want to share a case study about a nonprofit
How One Nonprofit Shifted Assets to Align with Its Mission Read More »
Hawai‘i Investment Ready (HIR) assists social entrepreneurs in Hawai‘i by growing their impact and helping them gain access to capital. Founded in 2013 by long-time local entrepreneurs Lisa Kleissner and Neil Hannahs, HIR is the first Native-led accelerator program in Hawai‘i. In 2019, the leadership of HIR passed to Keoni Lee, a Native Hawaiian social
Hawai‘i Investment Ready Helps Social Entrepreneurs Read More »