MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: ImpactAssets Includes 22 Microfinance-Focused Fund Managers in List of Top 50 Impact Investors

ImpactAssets, a US-based nonprofit company specializing in impact investment, recently released its “2011 ImpactAssets 50,” a list of investment fund managers that “achieve financial performance with positive social and environmental impacts,” including 22 microfinance-focused funds. Impact investment is a growing sector that allocates funds to businesses and companies that earn financial returns in conjunction with positive social and/or environmental benefits. To qualify for the ImpactAssets list, a fund manager must have: (a) at least 3 years of experience in the impact investment sector; (b) at least USD 5 million in recoverable assets under management; (c) operations in more than one country with a “significant population;” (d) ten or more investors; (e) “demonstrated financial capacity/oversight;” and (g) an established commitment to social impact such as may be demonstrated by adherence to the standards promoted by the Global Impact Investing Rating System (GIIRS) or the Impact Reporting and Investment Standards (IRIS).

The following investment fund managers that work in microfinance in developing countries were included in the 2011 ImpactAssets 50: Absolute Portfolio Management; ACCION International; Acumen Fund; Bamboo Finance; BlueOrchard Finance; Calvert Social Investment Foundation; Community Investment Partners; Creation Investments; Developing World Markets; Elevar Equity; Equator Capital Markets; Global Partnerships Limited; Grassroots Capital Management; IGNIA Partners; Incofin Investment Management; LeapFrog Investments; MicroVest Capital Management; Minlam Asset Management; Sarona Asset Management; Shared Interest; Symbiotics Asset Management; and Triodos Investment Management.

The full ImpactAssets 50 list can be accessed at: http://www.impactassets.org/impactassets-50

By Rohan Trivedi, Research Associate

About ImpactAssets:
ImpactAssets is a nonprofit company that specializes in impact investing, a growing sector that allocates funds to business and companies that earn financial returns in conjunction with positive social and/or environmental benefits.. In addition to placing its own social and environmental investments, ImpactAssets provides knowledge resources for the impact investment sector and publishes the “ImpactAssets 50,” an annual list of impact fund managers. ImpactAssets was launched as an independent organization in 2009 by the US-based nonprofit Calvert Foundation and reports USD 60 million in assets under management as of June 2011.

About Calvert Social Investment Foundation:
The Calvert Social Investment Foundation is a US-based nonprofit established in 1995 with the support of the Ford, MacArthur and Mott Foundations. Investment in the fund comes in the form of donations and notes held by individuals and organizations, including Washington Mutual Bank, Ameritas Life Insurance Corporation and Gray Ghost Microfinance Fund LLC. As of June 2011, the Calvert Foundation reported USD 280 million in assets under management.

Sources and Additional Resources:

[1] ImpactAssets: “2011 ImpactAssets 50”, http://www.impactassets.org/impactassets-50

MicroCapital Universe Profile: ImpactAssets, https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=ImpactAssets

MicroCapital Universe Profile: Calvert Social Investment Foundation, https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=Calvert+Social+Investment+Foundation

MicroCapital Universe Profile: ACCION International, https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=ACCION+International

MicroCapital Universe Profile: Acumen Fund, https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=Acumen+Fund

MicroCapital Universe Profile: BlueOrchard Microfinance Investment Managers, https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=BlueOrchard+Microfinance+Investment+Managers

MicroCapital Universe Profile: Creation Investments Capital Management LLC, https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=Creation+Investments+Capital+Management+Limited+Liability+Corporation+%28LLC%29

MicroCapital Universe Profile: Developing World Markets (DWM), https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=Developing+World+Markets+%28DWM%29

MicroCapital Universe Profile: Global Partnerships (GP), https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=Global+Partnerships

MicroCapital Universe Profile: Grassroots Capital, https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=Grassroots+Capital

MicroCapital Universe Profile: IGNIA, https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=IGNIA