Compounding Impact

Mission Investing by U.S. Foundations

Sarah Cooch and Mark Kramer

2007, 54 pages. FSG Social Impact Advisors, 20 Park Plaza, Suite 320, Boston, MA 02116, 617-357-4000

Download pdf: www.fsg-impact.org

Funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, this study is the first comprehensive look at the increasingly common practice of mission investing by foundations, and is aimed at increasing the grantmaking community's knowledge and understanding of the new trend. Mission investing is the practice of using financial investments as tools to achieve a foundation's program goals and mission. For the study, ninety-two U.S. foundations and 1,500 mission investments were examined. The study reports that mission investing has increased significantly over the past five years. It was published to stimulate discussion and additional research on the subject.