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RESOURCES
Managing a successful loan fund is no small task. We welcome you to our growing library of resources for community and institutional foundations - whether you're considering a loan fund, re-evaluating your loan fund, or looking for innovative ideas from the field.
Interviews With Thought Leaders
We are fortunate to have access to leaders at the forefront of the nonprofit and finance worlds, and have recorded some fascinating and educational conversations with them in a series of interviews. You can watch or listen to the clips below, which cover a wide range of topics from investing in farmers to the latest technological innovations in finance and lending.
New
MEDA's Work in the Mission District, and the Impacts of a Cashless Society
For Marc's latest conversation, he joins Norma Garcia, Policy Counsel, Director of Advocacy at MEDA. They discuss the vital work that MEDA has been doing to support the Latino community in San Francisco's Mission District for decades. As a Mission native, attorney, public policy expert, and consumer advocate specialist, Norma has personal insights into how certain innovations, such as a move toward cashless-only purchases, can negatively affect both the more vulnerable members of society, as well as small businesses. You can hear their conversation by clicking on the link below:
RFP Processes for Investment Advisors
Listen in as Marc Rand talks with Susan Farrar, Chief Operating and Financial Officer at the Santa Cruz County Community Foundation, and CCA Senior Advisor Bert Feuss about the processes of an RFP search, and the important role that an Investment Consultant plays at a Community Foundation. (Audio only)
Part 1
Part 2
Insurance and Risk Management
for Nonprofits
Marc Rand of Community Capital Advisors interviews Pamela Davis, Founder, President, and CEO of Nonprofits Insurance Alliance, which provides a stable source of liability and property insurance tailored to the specialized needs of the nonprofit sector, and also helps them develop and implement loss control and risk management programs. Marc and Pamela talk about the challenges nonprofits face when trying to get insured, current changes in the industry, and the increasing adaptability of nonprofits. Clink on the links below to watch each clip:
Insurance Coverage for Nonprofits
Nonprofit Resilience and Innovation
Insurance Challenges Faced by Advocacy Organizations
Lender Panel Discussion
Marc Rand convenes a lender panel discussion with Vivienne Hsu of LenDonate, Ted Levinson of Beneficial Returns, and David Lynn of Mission Driven Finance. Their dynamic discussion weaves through the tops of filling the many gaps in lending to help small social enterprises working towards solutions to poverty, the pros and cons of not having CDFI certification, the various forms of technical assistance, and how to engage the rapidly growing mass of Donor Advised Funds and use them for immediate philanthropic benefit.
Hurtles and Benefits of Not Being a CDFI
Lending Platforms of LenDonate, Beneficial Returns, and Mission Driven Finance
Using Untapped Donor Advised Funds for Philanthropic Capital
Impact Investing with a Gender Lens
Marc Rand interviews Kaylene Alvarez, CEO of Athena Global Alliance, a woman-owned consulting firm applying private sector financing approaches to solve traditional development challenges. Marc and Kaylene discuss the disparities women face in finance, differences in impact investing in the U.S. versus other countries, recent trends in women-dominated industries, the role of impact investing for businesses led by women of color, and many other topics.
The Value of Diverse Committees
Impact Investing in the U.S. Versus Elsewhere
Role of Impact Investing for Businesses Led by Women of Color
Challenges of Being of Woman in Finance
Ra’Shaud Haines, Community Investment Fund Manager of Foundation for Louisiana, discusses lending to entrepreneurs of color with Marc Rand. Their conversation starts off with how race and class have affected communities of color, especially entrepreneurs, and why it is so important to support people of color through traditional banking. Furthermore, they discuss what lenders should consider when lending to entrepreneurs, and give their thoughts on the lack of banks that are owned and operated by people of color.
The Importance of Lending to Entrepreneurs of Color
Lending to People of Color Promotes Community Development
The Importance of Lending to
People of Color
Community Foundation Impact Investing
Susan Farrar, Chief Operating and Financial Officer of Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County (CFSCC), discusses impact investing with Marc Rand. Their conversation covers her 20 year tenure at CFSCC, how the foundation got into impact investing over time, engaging stakeholders across board, donors, and executive staff leadership in the process. Today, the foundation currently manages $136 million portfolio through 625 funds, including $12.6 million in annual grantmaking - with the majority coming from donor advised funds.
How a Community Foundation Started Impact Investing
How to Manage and Impact Investing Portfolio
Community Foundation Strategic
Planning Trends
Marc Rand of Community Capital Advisors interviews Steve Alley, Managing Partner, and Tony Macklin, Senior Advisor, of Ekstrom Alley Clontz & Associates (EAC). EAC provides counsel to community foundations of all sizes so they can operate more efficiently, more effectively, and with a broader perspective. Steve, and Tony discuss the current direction of community foundation strategic planning and what changes they are seeing in today's philanthropy. Clink on the links below to watch each clip:
Strategic Planning for Foundations - What Does it Look Like Today?
Foundations' Response to Racial Inequities
Racial Equity Conversations at the Board and Donor Level
Fintech - How Technology is Changing the World of Finance
Marc Rand interviews Vivienne Hsu, Founder and CEO of LENDonate, a marketplace lending platform that connects investors and philanthropists with nonprofits. Marc and Vivienne discuss the technological innovations that have changed the world of finance. They also talk about nonprofit lending and lender profiles in impact investing. Clink on the links below to watch each clip:
Overview of CDFIs and How They Support Small Businesses
Sarah Bennett of Community Capital Advisors interviews Elizabeth Schott, CEO of Accessity (formerly Accion), a CDFI serving small businesses in Southern California. They explore topics such as what the small business community needs most during COVID, how CDFIs are stepping up to meet those needs, and how foundations can best partner with CDFIs like Accessity.
CDFIs as Economic First Responders
CDFIs Supporting Small Businesses through COVID
Investing in CDFIs: Due Diligence & Identifying Needs
Investing in Farmers
Reggie Knox, Executive Director of California FarmLink, discusses investing in farmers with Marc Rand. They talk about how to support small farmers, different policies that affect them, and what resilience looks like in this community. They also discuss racism faced by farmers of color, and how to avoid these pitfalls.
Supporting Food Enterprises through Finance during COVID
People and Firms We Admire
In addition to the interviews above, here are some other people and firms doing vital work that that we admire.
Templates and Guides
COVID-19 Response Checklist
Basic organizational functions for managing the current crisis, covers most of the basic
functions.
13 Items to Consider
From fund size to impact metrics, what you should consider when starting a loan fund.
12 month cash flow template
Excel template for nonprofit cash flow. Includes consolidated financial statements, projections, other templates.
Loan Fund Tune-up
What unmet needs are you addressing? How are you tracking capital? Key questions for loan fund success.
Affordable Housing Webinar
Document and webinar discussing aspects of impact investing and affordable housing.