Mission-related investing is a powerful tool that will allow your community foundation to align our investment strategies with our mission to make a difference in the areas we serve, including addressing the critical issue of housing.

So, what is mission-related investing? It involves using investment funds to generate both financial returns and positive social impact. This means redirecting funds typically invested in traditional markets (on Wall Street) toward local initiatives and projects that aim to address pressing social issues (on Main Street). For your community foundation, that pressing issue in our community is affordable housing. Our local community's lack of affordable housing has the same adverse effects on health, wellness, stability, and prosperity as is documented nationally. The goal is to achieve a tangible and beneficial impact on our community while earning a financial return.

At the core of mission-related investing, particularly in the context of local affordable housing, is the idea of making a meaningful difference. By channeling investment funds into projects that target key needs and fill financial gaps, we can work towards creating a positive and lasting impact on housing affordability. 

In addition to financial support, mission-related investing in local affordable housing offers a unique opportunity to engage with our donors and the public in a different way. It's not just about grants; it's about making strategic investments that will benefit our community in the long run. By providing loans to nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private initiatives focused on addressing housing affordability, we can empower these entities to further their missions and drive positive change in this critical area.

It's important to emphasize that our commitment to mission-related investing will not diminish the support we provide through our competitive grantmaking activities. We are committed to fulfilling the wishes of our donors who contributed to the competitive grants process and providing our local nonprofits with the necessary grant funding for their essential programs and initiatives. 

Ultimately, the objective is clear: to make a genuine and transformative impact through our investments. This is an opportunity for the foundation to create a ripple effect of positive change that extends far beyond traditional grantmaking. We are committed to keeping our fundholder family informed and engaged in this exciting opportunity as we move forward. Mission-related investing represents a new chapter in our efforts to drive positive change in this critical area, and we look forward to sharing our progress and successes with you.