Impact Investing Benefits Baltimore; We Need More of It

credit: USACE on Flickr

"There always seems to be a shortage of resources to seize those opportunities," writes Baltimore Community Foundation President Shanaysha Saul in an op-ed in the Baltimore Sun.

"Even when hundreds of millions of dollars come our way, it feels like a drop in the bucket after decades of disinvestment."

That's why the foundation, which was established 50 years ago to be a permanent philanthropic endowment for the region, is stepping up its efforts in "impact investing," Saul writes.

"The potential for impact investing to transform our city is truly incredibleand its effects could be felt even more deeply if we expand the pool," Saul writes.

In Baltimore, for example, the BCF has co-invested more than $1 million into projects including small-business loans to minority- and women-owned businesses, micro- loans to refugees, and affordable housing.

"We often rail about the unfair portrayal of our city in national media, but among impact investors, we are seen as a leader to learn from and emulate," Saul writes.

"We must seize on this buzz and momentum, because from my vantage point, this is the real story of our charming citypassionate people coming together, seeking innovation at every turn, multiplying individual contributions into collective impact to build a better

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