Growth Community Development Funders

Access Ventures is an impact investing organization that uses catalytic capital and blended finance to expand economic opportunity and build stronger, more equitable communities. Its work is grounded in the belief that lasting transformation begins with people, not capital alone. Through a one-pocket mindset, Access Ventures seeks to align investments, grants, partnerships, and other resources with its mission. The organization accepts risks that conventional investors may avoid, supports emerging ideas and leaders, and develops financial structures designed to improve access and economic agency. Over the past decade, Access Ventures has invested in companies, funds, community initiatives, and leadership programs addressing challenges such as financial inclusion, accessibility, healthcare, small-business financing, and sustainable development. By combining capital with collaboration and long-term support, Access Ventures aims to demonstrate that financial discipline and measurable social impact can work together to create a more resilient and inclusive economy.

Accion is a global nonprofit dedicated to building a fair and inclusive economy by expanding access to responsible financial services. Founded in 1961, Accion works at the intersection of fintech, investment, and advisory to scale solutions that improve financial health for underserved populations. Through its investment strategies, advisory services, and research initiatives, Accion supports companies and financial institutions reaching millions of people across emerging markets. Its work spans digital banking, credit, payments, and climate-focused financial tools, helping individuals and small businesses gain access to the financial systems they need to grow and thrive.

Alterfin is a Belgian social cooperative that finances social enterprises worldwide, focusing on microfinance institutions and sustainable smallholder agriculture organizations. With nearly 6,000 cooperative members, they invest in organizations that help the most disadvantaged people develop economic activities and generate sustainable incomes across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. The organization operates as a cooperative financed by individuals and companies, offering everyone an investment opportunity to generate positive social, environmental, and economic impact. Their mission centers on what they call "Human Yield" - a return measured in improved lives, dignity, resilience, and humanity rather than just financial returns. Alterfin has established itself as a significant player in the impact investment ecosystem over 30 years of operation, with 70.8 million euros in capital and a diverse membership base of 5,711 individual cooperative members and 190 companies and organizations. Their approach enables people to invest in entrepreneurs and farmers they might never meet but whose lives change through access to opportunities in regions where traditional banking channels don't exist or don't meet micro-entrepreneurs' needs.

Athar Investment Fund is a Morocco-based impact investment fund focused on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that drive inclusive economic growth. The fund targets businesses that create jobs, strengthen local industries, and expand access to opportunity across Morocco and the broader North African region. Through a hands-on investment approach, Athar partners with entrepreneurs to scale operations, improve governance, and unlock long-term value. Its strategy aligns financial performance with measurable social and economic impact, particularly in underserved communities.

Bain Capital Double Impact is the impact investing strategy of Bain Capital, focused on building market-leading companies that deliver both strong financial returns and measurable social and environmental impact. The platform leverages Bain Capital’s global reach and sector expertise to scale businesses across healthcare, sustainability, and inclusive growth. The firm partners with management teams to drive operational improvements, expand market reach, and embed impact into core business strategy. Its approach combines rigorous private equity discipline with a commitment to long-term, responsible value creation.

Bamboo Capital Partners is an impact investing platform that provides innovative financing solutions to businesses in emerging and frontier markets serving low- to middle-income populations. They focus primarily on four key sectors: financial inclusion, access to clean energy, access to healthcare, and agribusiness, where they identify mass-market opportunities for high growth and social impact. The organization operates as the asset management arm of global impact firm Palladium, which operates in over 100 countries. They bridge the gap between seed and growth stage funding through a full suite of finance options ranging from debt to equity, which they deploy either unilaterally or through strategic partnerships. Bamboo has established itself as a significant player in the impact investing ecosystem, having impacted 260 million lives, supported 100,000 jobs including 170,000 female jobs, served millions of patients, and helped avoid significant CO2 emissions. Their comprehensive impact management process deployed throughout the investment lifecycle and their focus on technology-driven solutions for underserved populations positions them as a catalyst for lasting social and environmental change in developing markets.

Beneficial State Bank is an FDIC-insured, state-chartered community development financial institution (CDFI) headquartered in Oakland, California, with branches in California, Oregon, and Washington. Kat Taylor and Tom Steyer founded it in 2007 as a triple-bottom-line community bank and donated the capital to Beneficial State Foundation, a nonprofit that is now the majority owner of the bank’s capital. That ownership is the lock: the institution is meant to stay governed in the public interest rather than recapitalize through a conventional holding-company sale. Causeartist indexes it in the funders directory as a CDFI bank and debt provider, not as a venture fund. The product is credit: deposits become loans for affordable housing, nonprofits, small businesses, and environmental projects on the West Coast. CDFI rules require at least 60% of financing to low- and moderate-income or underserved communities; the bank reported that 100% of its 2025 loan portfolio upheld that community-development mandate. It will not lend to fossil fuels, private prisons, or weapons manufacturing, industries it calls “contra mission.” It has been a Certified B Corporation since 2012 (B Lab directory; the bank’s certifications page also cites 2013), is Fossil Free Certified, belongs to the Global Alliance for Banking on Values, and describes itself as the only unionized community bank in the U.S. As of year-end 2025 it reported $1.98 billion in assets, $1.67 billion in deposits, $1.47 billion in outstanding loans, and 15.4% net loan growth. Those figures are company-reported from the 2025 Impact Report, not an independent audit.

BESTSELLER Foundation is a Danish commercial foundation established in 2015. It is funded by BESTSELLER, the family-owned fashion company, but operates as a separate legal entity from both BESTSELLER A/S and HEARTLAND A/S. The foundation's current strategy focuses on expanding economic opportunity for women, particularly their ability to create, work, and own. Its work is organized around three areas: Creative industries, including fashion, craft, music, and the arts Future of work, including reskilling, childcare, and workforce participation Ownership, including assets, businesses, income, and financial decision-making BESTSELLER Foundation uses both donations and impact investments and describes itself as a long-term, evergreen investor. Over its first 10 years, it reports making more than 25 impact investments and 100 donations across 25 countries. Its geographic focus includes South Asia, especially Bangladesh, as well as Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. Current and recent partnerships have supported women artisans, small businesses, workforce participation, water resilience, and recovery efforts following major disruptions. The foundation's legal purpose is broader than its current public strategy. Its statutory mandate includes humanitarian work, poverty reduction, entrepreneurship, agriculture, and nature conservation. Earlier investment strategies also placed significant emphasis on circular economy and climate technology. Financial Snapshot At the end of 2024, the foundation reported: - DKK 109.7 million in total assets - DKK 85.9 million in equity - DKK 88.4 million in long-term investments - Approximately DKK 20 million distributed during the year - Approximately DKK 18 million invested during the year BESTSELLER's board also approved a preliminary DKK 250 million commitment for the foundation's 2024 to 2029 strategy. This represents committed future support, not capital already deployed. The foundation does not publish a standard grant size, investment check range, or formal scored application process. Potential partners can contact the team through its website.

Better Society Capital is the UK’s leading social impact investor, focused on growing the flow of capital into solutions that address social challenges and inequalities. Established in 2012, the organization acts as a market builder, connecting investors, government, and social enterprises to scale impact investing across the UK. Rather than only deploying capital, Better Society Capital plays a catalytic role in developing the broader ecosystem, helping expand the UK impact investment market to over £11 billion while committing more than £1 billion directly into funds and enterprises.

Blue Haven Initiative is an innovative family office that operates as a multi-asset-class impact investor, managing a diversified portfolio spanning public equities, fixed-income holdings, private equity, and direct investments. They are dedicated to putting wealth to work for competitive market returns while generating positive social and environmental change across various sectors. As one of the first family offices created with impact investing as its primary mission and focus, Blue Haven seeks both market rates of financial return and maximum social and environmental impact. They take a total portfolio approach to managing investments, applying rigorous portfolio-management principles while leveraging their flexibility and multigenerational time horizon to deploy diverse forms of capital including traditional investments, grants, and catalytic investments. Blue Haven has established itself as a significant player in the impact investing ecosystem, being recognized as the Impact Asset Owner of the Year in 2018 by the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment. They believe that solving the world's biggest social and environmental issues requires creative long-term investors who prioritize partnership, patience, and continuous learning, positioning themselves as leaders in demonstrating how family offices can drive systemic change.

Blue Meridian Partners is a pioneering philanthropic model that brings together values-aligned philanthropists to find, fund, and scale solutions that increase economic and social mobility for young people and families in America. With an investor mindset, they provide transformative capital to social sector leaders expanding strategies that create opportunity and help break cycles of poverty. The organization employs a rigorous, performance-based approach, treating grants as investments and measuring success through outcomes for people. They make long-term investments in strategies that help individuals reach key success markers from cradle to career, while also investing in organizations that influence public policies and build sustainable infrastructure for mobility over time.

Elevar Equity is an impact investor that fuels the economic resilience and vibrancy of underserved customers and low-income communities by providing early growth capital to entrepreneurs. They focus on investing in businesses that operate at the intersection of inclusivity, affordability, and massive scale, targeting companies that serve underserved populations in emerging markets. Their mission centers on what they call "human centered capital" - a deep understanding of their customer segment's aspirations, priorities, challenges, incomes, and spending patterns. Led by an entrepreneurial emerging markets team passionate about addressing issues of access and inequity, Elevar translates this customer understanding into concrete investment insights to support solution-oriented entrepreneurs. Elevar has made a significant impact in the ecosystem through their "Elevar Method" of investing, which demonstrates a direct correlation between high impact and returns. Over their 15-year journey, they have democratized essential products and services for over 45 million households and catalyzed billions of dollars of capital. They are now expanding their vision through EPIC World, a comprehensive platform aimed at building 50+ blue-chip companies that address the needs of Entrepreneurial Households.

Finance Earth is a UK-based impact investment firm and FCA-regulated fund manager focused on unlocking private capital for conservation, climate solutions, and community development. The organization designs and manages innovative environmental finance vehicles that help scale projects delivering measurable benefits for nature, climate, and people. Founded on the belief that philanthropy and public funding alone cannot address global environmental challenges, Finance Earth develops blended finance structures that attract institutional, philanthropic, and private investors into high-impact environmental projects. The organization works across fund management, advisory services, and accelerator programs to create investment opportunities that support biodiversity restoration, sustainable land use, natural capital, climate resilience, and community prosperity. Through its specialist expertise in environmental markets and impact investing, Finance Earth helps governments, nonprofits, businesses, and investors build financing models that generate both environmental outcomes and sustainable financial returns.

Gratitude Railroad is a community-driven impact investment firm and investor network focused on backing mission-driven businesses and private market funds addressing major social and environmental challenges. The firm invests in early to growth stage companies advancing planetary health, economic resilience, human well-being, and sustainable systems change. Beyond capital, Gratitude Railroad operates as a collaborative community of asset owners, investors, and impact leaders committed to learning, convening, and deploying capital toward a more regenerative and equitable future.

Kinara Capital is an RBI-registered non-banking financial company that specializes in providing collateral-free business loans to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India. They offer loan amounts ranging from INR 1 lakh to 30 lakhs across various products including supply chain financing, machinery purchase loans, green loans, and specialized lending programs like HerVikas for women entrepreneurs. The organization operates with a mission to empower MSMEs, which they recognize as the backbone of India's economy, through time-saving financial technology and personalized customer service. Their approach focuses on providing quick loan approvals within 24 hours while eliminating the traditional barriers of collateral requirements that often prevent small businesses from accessing formal credit. Kinara Capital has established a significant presence in India's MSME lending ecosystem, serving businesses across over 100 cities and demonstrating their commitment to financial inclusion. Their comprehensive product portfolio and technology-driven approach position them as a key player in addressing the credit gap faced by small businesses, ultimately contributing to the growth and formalization of India's MSME sector.

LeapFrog Investments is a private equity firm that focuses on scaling purpose-driven businesses across Asia and Africa to achieve sustainable growth, profitability, and measurable social impact. The firm invests in companies operating primarily in three key sectors: financial services, healthcare, and climate solutions, targeting businesses that serve emerging consumers and low-income populations. LeapFrog operates on a "profit with purpose" model, partnering with business leaders to drive integrated returns that combine financial performance with social impact. Their approach is grounded in a clear theory of change aimed at empowering low-income consumers to become agents of their own transformation, providing them with tools and services to make entrepreneurial leaps out of poverty. The firm provides not just capital but also resources and expertise to help portfolio companies reach emerging consumers at scale with relevant, affordable, and essential services. LeapFrog has established itself as a significant player in the impact investing ecosystem, demonstrating that commercial returns and social impact can be successfully integrated. Their rigorous approach to impact measurement, aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals, sets industry standards for transparency and accountability in impact investing. The firm's scale of operation, reaching 559 million people through their portfolio companies and supporting 33 million jobs, positions them as a major force in driving inclusive economic growth in emerging markets.

LiftFund is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) dedicated to expanding economic opportunity through affordable small business financing, technical assistance, and entrepreneurial support. Since 1994, LiftFund has helped underserved entrepreneurs access capital and business resources that traditional financial institutions often overlook. The organization provides loans, grants, business coaching, capital readiness programs, and community partnerships that help entrepreneurs start, sustain, and grow businesses while creating jobs and strengthening local economies.

Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) is a human rights organization and non-profit investment fund that provides debt and equity financing to independent media companies worldwide. They support media ventures ranging from digital news portals and TV stations to journalism data tools and AI-powered explainer bots, focusing on organizations that provide diverse news and facilitate information exchange. MDIF operates as a New York-registered not-for-profit corporation with 501(c)(3) public charity status, combining affordable financing with strategic business advice to help independent media grow, adapt and innovate. They work specifically in countries where access to reliable news and information is under threat, mobilizing capital through various private equity, debt, hybrid and venture funds. With 30 years of experience investing for impact, MDIF has become a critical player in the media development ecosystem by enabling independent media to inform millions, hold power accountable, and support democratic participation in their communities. Their work matters because timely, accurate, and relevant information is fundamental to building free, thriving societies, and they provide essential infrastructure for media plurality in challenging environments.

Mission Driven Finance is an impact investing and lending platform that provides capital to small businesses and nonprofits without requiring personal guarantees. They focus on filling the financing gap between philanthropy and conventional investments, targeting businesses that lack sufficient access to affordable capital from traditional sources. The organization operates with the mission of making impact investing accessible and easy for everyone, envisioning a future where all investments are optimized for impact. They work with local and national investors to help them create the social impact they desire while providing structured financial products designed to close financial gaps and opportunity gaps. Since launching in 2016, Mission Driven Finance has become a significant force in accelerating positive social change through innovative financing mechanisms. They have successfully mobilized over $50 million in assets into communities, demonstrating their ability to bridge the gap between capital and worthy enterprises that struggle to achieve scale through conventional funding sources.

REDF invests in businesses that reveal and reinforce the talent of people breaking through barriers to employment. They focus specifically on employment social enterprises - businesses that create jobs and opportunities for individuals who face significant challenges in accessing traditional employment pathways. The organization operates through a comprehensive approach that combines capital, capacity building, and community support to help their portfolio enterprises grow further and faster. Their mission centers on building a thriving and inclusive society where all people have the jobs and support they need to realize their full potential, guided by the vision of creating an economy that works for everyone. REDF plays a critical role in the social enterprise ecosystem by not only providing direct investment and support to employment-focused businesses, but also by evaluating what works and sharing their learnings to drive broader policy and systems change. Their multi-faceted approach spans from early-stage accelerator programs to growth-stage investments and advocacy partnerships with government entities, positioning them as both an investor and a thought leader in advancing employment opportunities for underserved populations.

Rippleworks is a nonprofit foundation founded in 2015 by Chris Larsen and Doug Galen to provide practical support to social impact organizations scaling their operations. The organization was formed as one of the first-ever cryptocurrency-endowed foundations and operates from Redwood City, California. Rippleworks offers a comprehensive suite of programs including short-term advisory projects pairing organizations with industry experts, one-on-one expert office hours, interactive leadership development workshops through their Leaders Studio program, and flexible catalytic capital investments. Their mission focuses on helping social ventures address critical challenges in education, healthcare, environmental resilience, and community development by providing the operational expertise and resources needed to scale faster and improve more lives in the U.S. and around the world.

The Rockefeller Foundation is one of the world’s largest and most influential philanthropic organizations, focused on advancing human well-being through large-scale investments in energy access, food systems, health, economic opportunity, climate resilience, and emerging technologies. Founded in 1913, the foundation partners with governments, nonprofits, corporations, and local communities to tackle systemic global challenges through innovative finance, data, and technology-driven solutions. The foundation is known for making ambitious “big bets” aimed at improving the lives of hundreds of millions of people worldwide, particularly in underserved and economically vulnerable communities.

Root Capital is a nonprofit social investment fund that partners with small and growing agricultural businesses to increase farmer livelihoods, fight climate change, uplift women, employ youth, and build rural prosperity. They provide credit tailored to agricultural enterprises' needs, along with free capacity building training, farming resources, and other support services to help these businesses develop and scale. Their mission is to grow rural prosperity and build the resilience of farming families around the world, with a vision of thousands of rural businesses supporting a thriving agricultural sector. They operate through four key pathways: Access to Finance, Climate Action, Women's Empowerment, and Next Generation Jobs, supporting the early development of agricultural enterprises because they believe these businesses can raise up whole communities. Since 1999, Root Capital has been creating transformative impact in some of the world's most vulnerable rural areas across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. They have positively impacted the lives of over 10 million people in farming communities, demonstrating their significant role in fostering sustainable agricultural development and rural economic growth. Their 25-year track record positions them as a key player in the agricultural impact investing ecosystem.

Techleap is a Dutch organization focused on helping tech scaleups grow and scale their companies within the Netherlands ecosystem. They offer tailored scaling programmes, deeptech innovation programmes, and provide access to a trusted community of founders and tech leaders to support company growth. Their mission is to empower Dutch tech founders in scaling their companies while strengthening the entire tech ecosystem in the process. What started as a government-subsidised initiative has evolved into a grassroots movement driven by the founders themselves, operating through community building, scaling programmes, government policy work, and data reporting. Techleap exists to solve a critical problem in the Dutch startup landscape where companies struggle to scale and miss opportunities for growth and value creation. By building a supportive, self-sustaining founder community and removing barriers to growth, they aim to accelerate the entire tech ecosystem and position the Netherlands as a leader in global innovation.

Unreasonable Group is a Colorado-based international company that partners with growth-stage entrepreneurs solving pressing global challenges through capital, community, and storytelling. They operate a Fellowship program that handpicks and privately invites the world's most compelling solutions, focusing on five key verticals: Energy & Environment, Food & Water, Health, and other sectors aimed at transitioning into a more resilient and regenerative economy. Their mission centers on creating trusted partnerships and moving capital to ensure a better future, believing in the power of business and finance to drive lasting, scalable change. They build trust across growth-stage entrepreneurs, institutions, and investors by channeling exclusive deal-flow to investors and partnering with institutions to discover profit in solving global problems. Unreasonable Group has established itself as a significant force in the impact ecosystem, striving to become the world's most trusted community in service of a more connected and regenerative economy. Their approach of focusing on scaling what works has created a substantial network that operates across multiple countries and industries, demonstrating that reasonable ideas seldom change anything while unreasonable ones drive progress.

Vital Capital is a high-performing impact investor founded in 2011 that leverages deep operational expertise to identify overlooked opportunities in growth markets. The firm builds successful, scalable businesses that transform lives by turning critical challenges into high-return opportunities that deliver impact at scale. Since inception, Vital Capital has improved the lives of millions of individuals while achieving above-market returns for investors. The firm operates at the intersection of need, opportunity and experience, pursuing social, environmental and financial goals equally when evaluating investments. Vital Capital has provided over 5.4 million individuals with solutions to critical challenges including improved access to clean water, affordable healthcare, nutritious food, and sustainable infrastructure, while creating economic prosperity in local communities.