Interview

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.

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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

Magic Wand Changes to Government Funding

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.

Filling the Lending Gaps

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

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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

Helping a Female Entrepreneur During COVID

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

Lending to People of Color and Women during COVID

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

How to Grow in Impact Investing

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

Impact Investing Strategies

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:

What is Fintech?

Innovations in Philanthropy

Nonprofit Lending

Impact Investing Lender Profiles

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

Overview of the CDFI Industry

Investing in CDFIs: Due Diligence & Identifying Needs

Impacting Small Businesses and Creating a Ripple Effect

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.

Land Financing for Farmers

Supporting Food Enterprises through Finance during COVID

How Can Philanthropy Support the Food Sector?

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.

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Templates and Guides

COVID-19 Response Checklist

Basic organizational functions for managing the current crisis, covers most of the basic
functions.

Download checklist

13 Items to Consider

From fund size to impact metrics, what you should consider when starting a loan fund.

Read article

12 month cash flow template

Excel template for nonprofit cash flow. Includes consolidated financial statements, projections, other templates.

Download template

Loan Fund Tune-up

What unmet needs are you addressing? How are you tracking capital? Key questions for loan fund success.

Read article

Affordable Housing Webinar

Document and webinar discussing aspects of impact investing and affordable housing.

Webinar

Articles

Investing in Farmers

Discussion of how to support small farmers, different policies that affect them, and what resilience looks like in this community

Community Foundation Impact Investing

Discussion of the how CFSCC engages stakeholders across board, donors, and executive staff leadership in the process

Overview of CDFIs and How They Support Small Businesses

Discussion of what the small business community needs most during COVID and how CDFIs are stepping up to meet those needs

The Importance of Lending to People of Color

How race and class have affected entrepreneurs of color and why it is so important to support people of color through traditional banking

Fintech - How Technology is Changing the World of Finance

Discussion of the technological innovations that have changed the world of finance and lender profiles in impact investing

Impact Investing with a Gender Lens

Discussion of disparities women face in finance and the role of impact investing for businesses led by women of color

Community Foundation Strategic Planning Trends

Discussion of the current direction of community foundation strategic planning and what changes they are seeing in today's philanthropy

Lender Panel Discussion

Marc Rand convenes a lender panel discussion with Vivienne Hsu of LenDonate, Ted Levinson of Beneficial Returns, and David Lynn of...

Insurance and Risk Management for Nonprofits

Marc Rand of Community Capital Advisors interviews Pamela Davis, Founder, President, and CEO of Nonprofits Insurance Alliance, which...