This Week in Impact

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Why LP might stand for Leadership Potential, in addition to limited partner, as asset allocators contend with an increasingly complex world; how new approaches to the ownership economy are helping to both increase and share the pie; and, amid a pullback in official aid, how African asset owners and fund managers are creating their own pathways to growth.Story links:“⁠In volatile times, some impact investors try to show LP means ‘leadership potential⁠,’” by Amy Cortese and David Bank“⁠Impact LPs and GPs search for solutions in a tough year to raise and deploy capital⁠,” by Amy Cortese and Erik Stein“⁠Beyond affordability to ownership, wealth-building and economic security⁠,” by David Bank"⁠African asset owners and fund managers chart local ‘pathways to growth’⁠," by Lucy Ngige and Jessica Pothering

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: How the Sierra Club Foundation is leaning into system-level investing with its $200 million endowment; the 1803 Fund’s ambitious plans to restore historically Black neighborhoods in Portland; and, how financial advisors can meet clients’ demand for impact investing opportunities, and other takeaways from this week’s Agents of Impact Call.Story links:“⁠Sierra Club Foundation is dumping managers, innovating indexes and embracing ‘system-level’ investing⁠,” by David Bank and Roodgally Senatus.“⁠In Portland, the 1803 Fund is rebuilding Black neighborhoods, zip code by zip code⁠,” by Roodgally Senatus.Agents of Impact Call 75 ⁠recap⁠ and ⁠replay⁠.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: The ambitious strategy behind New Mexico’s $67 billion sovereign wealth fund; How the residential solar industry plans to stay competitive by eliminating dealer fees; And, how cities are building durable capital stacks for climate action, as federal support evaporates.Story links:“⁠How New Mexico’s $67 billion fund is using oil and gas revenues to build a clean energy economy⁠,” by David Bank.“⁠With tax credits expiring, cutting ‘dealer fees’ could keep solar affordable⁠,” by David Bank. “⁠PosiGen bankruptcy highlights solar industry woes — and puts Brookfield in the hot seat⁠,” by Amy Cortese.“⁠Building durable financing for the energy transition and climate action in local communities⁠,” by HIP Investors’ Nick Gower.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Beyond investments and guarantees, how Encourage Capital assembled the necessary pieces to unlock capital flows for the global clean energy transition; The missing markets for local builders and buyers of health, wealth, and vibrant communities (09:30); And, how European pension funds learn to stop worrying and love the companies making bombs (12:35).Story links:“A case study in unlocking lending to small businesses to accelerate solar in India,” by C3's Harvy Koh“Making missing markets for local builders (and buyers) of health, wealth and vibrant communities,” by David Bank and Roodgally Senatus“European pension funds said ‘no’ to defense investments. Then came Ukraine… and Trump,” by Danielle Rossingh

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Instead of 50 year mortgages, actual solutions to make homeownership affordable; The case of the missing $54 billion in climate finance; And, highlights from this week’s call, on plugging the financing gap for growth businesses in Africa.Story links:“⁠From affordable home ownership to ‘fair-share appreciation’ and generational wealth⁠,” by David Bank and Roodgally Senatus.“⁠The case of the missing $54 billion in development banks' climate financing⁠," by Jessica Pothering. All of our call roundups: ⁠https://impactalpha.com/calls/⁠

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: In the lead up to the COP30 climate summit, the state of climate blended finance is a mixed bag; the private credit jitters that are putting even impact investors on edge (10:55); and, a preview of next week's Agents of Impact call on mobilizing growth funds for growth firms in Africa and Asia (16:10).⁠RSVP for next week's Call!⁠Story links:“⁠Institutional investors warm to blended climate finance even as foreign aid and catalytic capital declines⁠,” by Erik Stein“⁠⁠With Tropical Forests Forever fund, Brazil tries a new approach to slowing deforestation⁠⁠,” by Erik Stein“⁠⁠Debt bubble? Private credit jitters put even impact investors on edge⁠⁠,” by Amy Cortese“⁠With philanthropic capital, Growth Firms Alliance is mobilizing local pension funds around small-business financing⁠,” by Lucy Ngige

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with CEO Dennis Price. Up this week: What was top of mind among innovators and investors at SOCAP; How community lenders are building rare bipartisan support to salvage gains for low income communities (09:35); And, a dual lens for due diligence and impact: investing with AI vs. investing in AI (15:55).Story links:“⁠Community lenders muster bipartisan support to salvage gains for low-income communities⁠,” by Amy Cortese with Roodgally Senatus. “⁠Investing with AI, investing in AI: A dual lens for due diligence and impact⁠,” by Paul Fehlinger.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: The surprising resurgence of impact-first investing; How lawyers, yes lawyers, are working to simplify impact transactions: And, in Newark, new ideas surface for how to build a nation of owners.Story links:⁠Impact-first call recap⁠“⁠Building a nation of owners with new financial products and fresh ideas⁠,” by David Bank“⁠Lawyers, yes lawyers, are trying to simplify impact transactions⁠,” by Erik Stein

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank and reporter Lucy Ngige. Up this week: Trimtab's unapologetic impact-first pitch to wealthy families: outperformance on impact rather than financials; How the new Sendero Verde affordable housing development is bringing to life a vision for a community of opportunity in East Harlem (10:30); And, a vibe check from this year's GIIN Impact Forum (14:55).Story links:“⁠Trimtab’s unapologetic pitch to wealthy families seeking outperformance – on impact⁠,” by David Bank⁠‘Community of opportunity’: With Sendero Verde, Jonathan Rose’s affordable housing vision comes to life in East Harlem⁠,” by Roodgally Senatus“⁠At GIIN Impact Forum, institutional investors seek to chart a path forward⁠,” by Dennis Price and Lucy Ngige.“⁠ImpactAlpha’s Fall Tour: Equity, ownership and the path to shared prosperity⁠,” by David Bank.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Ambitious plans for the US International Development Finance Corp., or DFC, are on hold pending congressional authorization; how debt and equity “growth funds” in Africa are tapping homegrown pension funds and family offices (11:20); and why youth  co-creators are the key to effectiveness in the new crop of AI-driven approaches to youth mental health challenges (18:05).Story links:“⁠Bipartisan plans for a bigger, bolder US International Development Finance Corp. on hold as agency’s authorization lapses⁠,” by Kristin Kelly Jangraw.“⁠‘Growth funds’ in Africa are tapping local pension funds to reshape development finance,⁠” by Lucy Ngige and David Bank.“⁠Youth ‘co-creators’ are busting (adult) myths about AI and mental health⁠,” by David Bank