Elle Scharf

Elle Scharf is the founder of Catalytic Impact Consulting, a San Francisco Bay Area impact strategy practice. Through CIC, they serve as a Senior Advisor with Community Capital Advisors, supporting investment advisor and OCIO searches for foundations, family offices, DAF sponsors, and other mission-driven institutions. The goal of each search is the same: find the right strategic partner for financial return and mission-aligned impact.

CIC also works the other side of the capital table, advising the nonprofits and social businesses that funders back. Its work covers capital strategy, impact measurement and management, governance, and operational design.

Elle has nearly a decade of experience in capital formation and philanthropic strategy. Their career spans international development, policy, and patient capital, with roles at Oxfam America, Acumen, the OECD, Greenwood Place, and the European Investment Fund.

Elle is a dual French-American national. They hold an MPA from the London School of Economics, a BA in Economics and Political Science from McGill University, and a certificate in corporate finance from Columbia Business School. Outside of work, you can usually find them in a Bay Area garden, reading a history of art, philosophy, or physics and understanding somewhat less than half of it.