U.S. Impact Investing Alliance Launches to Scale the Practice of Impact Investing

Alliance Will Bring Together Financial Institutions, High Net-Worth Individuals and Intermediaries to Continue Catalyzing the Impact Investing Movement

NEW YORK, July 26, 2017 – The U.S. Impact Investing Alliance (“Alliance”) today announced the launch of its expanded network of impact investing leaders dedicated to advancing this growing market.

The Alliance was founded last year by representatives from philanthropy, business and finance to champion the potential of impact investing by increasing awareness of impact investing in the U.S., fostering deployment of and demand for impact capital across asset classes globally, and by partnering with policymakers and other stakeholders to build the impact investing ecosystem.

The Alliance is introduced today with a broadened mandate that includes advocating for a favorable policy environment, catalyzing the flow of impact capital and growing the movement of impact investing in the U.S. and globally.

“Our vision is to catalyze a movement that will transform finance by putting measurable social and environmental impact, alongside risk and financial return, at the core of investment decisions,” said Fran Seegull, Executive Director of the Alliance and formerly the Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of ImpactAssets, a non-profit impact investing firm.

The Alliance’s 11-member board comprises leading practitioners from across the impact investing community, including private investors, foundations, intermediaries and asset managers.

• Darren Walker, President, Ford Foundation; Chair, Alliance
• Tracy Palandjian, CEO & Co-Founder, Social Finance; Vice-Chair, Alliance
• Matt Bannick, President, Omidyar Network
• Ray Chambers, President, MCJ Amelior Foundation
• Clara Miller, President, Heron Foundation
• Nancy Pfund, Managing Partner & Founder, DBL Partners
• Rip Rapson, President & CEO, Kresge Foundation
• Andy Sieg, Head, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
• Ian Simmons, Principal & Co-Founder, Blue Haven Initiative
• Jim Sorenson, Chairman, Sorenson Impact Foundation
• Julia Stasch, President, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

"The impact investing movement is a growing force in driving social and environmental change in the U.S. and around the world,” said Walker. “In philanthropy, we are moved to lead this effort, but ultimately it is about engaging with everyone from Wall Street to Main Street. We can accomplish more in partnership than we ever could achieve on our own.”

“This movement is built upon the dedication and collaboration of so many, and this moment is made possible by their tireless efforts over the years” said Palandjian. “Through the Alliance, we have an opportunity to bridge the gaps that remain, inspiring actors across all sectors to think deeply about impact.”

The Alliance traces its roots back to the June 2013 G8 meeting, where an international effort was undertaken to explore the possibilities for impact investing to accelerate economic growth and to address some of society’s most pressing issues. Under the auspices of that effort, the U.S. National Advisory Board on Impact Investing (NAB), the precursor organization to the Alliance, was formed with a mandate to identify and help reduce domestic policy barriers to impact investing.

While the Alliance will focus on the U.S. market, it is also part of the Global Steering Group on Impact Investing (GSG), which was established to promote a unified view of impact investment across the world, facilitate knowledge exchange and encourage policy change in national markets. Its members include 15 countries plus the EU, as well as active observers from government and from global network organizations supportive of impact investing.

The Alliance also convenes and administers the Presidents’ Council on Impact Investing, which comprises leaders from 20 private foundations, with a combined $60 billion in endowed assets, who are engaged in impact investing.

Today the Alliance is also launching an Industry Advisory Council of leading impact investing network organizations. Together these organizations represent over 800 members representing trillions of dollars of assets under management. The Industry Advisory Council is led by:

• Dana Lanza, CEO, Confluence Philanthropy
• Amit Bouri, CEO, Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)
• Abigail Noble, CEO, The ImPact
• Georges Dyer, Principal, Intentional Endowments Network (IEN)
• Bonny Moellenbrock, Executive Director, Investors’ Circle
• Matt Onek, CEO, Mission Investors Exchange (MIE)
• Adam Bendell, CEO, Toniic
• Lisa Woll, CEO, The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment (US SIF)

"Investors are increasingly interested in aligning their investments with their values, so it is important the field continues to grow and evolve to meet that demand,” added Sieg.

To learn more about the Alliance, please visit www.impinvalliance.org.

About the U.S. Impact Investing Alliance

The U.S. Impact Investing Alliance is dedicated to championing the power of impact investing through increasing awareness of impact investing in the United States, fostering deployment of and demand for impact capital across asset classes globally, and partnering with stakeholders, including government, to build the impact investing ecosystem. Members of the Alliance include leaders from across the impact investing community, including investors, foundations, financial intermediaries, asset managers and service providers. For more information, please visit www.impinvalliance.org.

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