High Impact Community Investing
By Scott Secrest
Among the objectives of becoming an investor is, of course, to earn a return on our money to help us enhance our financial security, and meet specific financial goals in the future. So, earning competitive investment returns is important if we’re to meet these vital goals. But, more and more investors are learning that it is possible to earn good returns and to use your money to support positive enterprises.
Through the Calvert Foundation and similar organizations, individuals may invest as little as $1,000 and earn a stated annual rate of return for investing in positive community investments. That money is then used by the Foundation to provide loans.
Through the invested dollars of individual and institutional investors, last year the Calvert Foundation was able to invest $38MM in affordable housing, $35MM in microcredit programs, $21MM in small businesses, and $27MM in non-profits and cooperatives.
Through these programs, neglected neighborhoods have been revitalized, fair-trade cooperatives have been established and are now functioning throughout South and Central America, home loans have been made to low income families, and communities are stronger in each case due to these high impact programs.
Most investors will not invest all of their money into such investments. Diversifying assets is the keystone of a successful portfolio. More often, community investments make sense as a component of a well diversified, socially responsible portfolio of investments. It is important for all of us to take stock of our financial resources, our tolerance for risk and our desired rates of overall return in arriving at a suitable investment approach.
Speak with your financial advisor or visit www.calvertfoundation.org to learn more about how community investing might fit into your financial picture.
Contact Scott to discuss this topic.
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