ImpactAlpha Podcasts

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Stories featured in this week's episode: Mission-driven funders scramble to respond to federal funding freeze⁠, by Amy Cortese and David Bank Call roundup: https://impactalpha.com/calls/ How machine learning and AI can be harnessed for mission-based lending⁠, by Mar Diteos Rendon, Nicole Jansma and Sachi Shenoy

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Stories covered this: “Trump’s executive orders will affect investments in climate, equity, AI and global development,” by Dennis Price, Isaac Silk and Amy Cortese “Investors look for Opportunity Zones to get an extension and a fresh dose of tax-advantaged capital,” by Roodgally Senatus “Adding a dash of guaranteed liquidity to impact funds to attract more institutional LPs,” by David Bank.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: How the devastating LA wildfires are putting a spotlight on wildfire prevention tech and what the disaster means for California's fragile insurance market; examples of outcomes-based financing driving systemic change in education; and Colossal Biosciences’ $200 million raise to revive the wooly mammoth among other lost species. “In the age of fire, tech solutions can help but not heal,” by David Bank and Roodgally Senatus. “LA wildfires push California’s insurance market to the brink,” by Louie Woodall “How outcomes-based financing can drive systemic change in education,” by Jenny Berg and Inês Charro of Education Finance Network Wild and woolly: Colossal Biosciences raises $200 million to revive the mammoth and other lost species,” by Amy Cortese

Host Brian Walsh takes up the week’s top stories with ImpactAlpha’s Jessica Pothering. They discuss Jessica's takeaways from her analysis of ImpactAlpha's 2024 set of actively raising impact funds, how catalytic capital is unlocking regenerative agriculture opportunities in Brazil, and why drones are taking off in India for agriculture and economic inclusion. "Glimmers of hope for impact fund managers shine through the fundraising fog," by Jessica Pothering. "How catalytic capital helped unlock ecosystem regeneration in Brazil," by Dario Parziale. "Investors bet on drones to lift agricultural productivity and women’s livelihoods in India," by Shefali Anand.

In the final podcast episode of the year, host Brian Walsh takes up the trends that ImpactAlpha will be following in 2025 with editor David Bank. On our radar: Impact investors lean into economic populism with the ownership economy; climate gets a new narrative for the Trump era; and emerging markets attract local capital for local needs as better data rebuts misperceptions of risk. Check out all of this year's lookaheads on ImpactAlpha.

As president of the Heron Foundation, Clara Miller in 2012 set a goal to invest 100% percent of the foundation’s then-$250 million in assets to fight poverty within five years. Heron beat the deadline by a year to be become one of the first foundations to align its full endowment with its mission.  For the latest episode of the podcast series Finding Alpha, ImpactAlpha contributing editor Rob Brown sat down with Miller for a wide-ranging discussion about the innovations she fostered in impact lending, the value of starting your career at the bottom, and her favorite Beatle, Paul McCartney.  

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: How lobbying and advocacy are being used by family offices for “policy enhanced impact investing.” “These investors are raising their lobbying game to enhance their social impact,” by David Bank. How a California community lender is focusing on community ownership models to combat the displacement of small businesses and nonprofits. “Community Vision’s ownership strategy for combating displacement of small businesses and nonprofits in California,” by Roodgally Senatus. “How community ownership benefits investors and communities,” Aisha Benson and Christina Hollenback. And, a look at the rapidly evolving off-grid solar industry in Africa. “Commercial lenders wake up to Africa's fastest-growing solar sector,” by Lucy Ngige.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: The tale of two different ownership economy models for increasing employee wealth As private equity firms start to share the wealth, low-income workers get just a little bit by Roody Senatus Meet 22 funds raising capital to finance high-impact transitions to employee ownership by David Bank RSVP for next week's Call where we'll screen our Napoleon Wallace documentary. Lessons learned from 10 years and $1.9 billion of catalytic investments from British International Investment. And, the untapped potential for investment and innovation in the US care economy.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Highlights from this week’s post-election Agents of Impact Call; the news that Donald Trump Jr. is joining a quasi-impact investing fund targeting an underserved market –  conservative consumers; and, how catalytic capital warehousing could help emerging managers finance the sustainable development goals.

For the first in his series of Finding Alpha podcast conversations, ImpactAlpha contributing editor Robert Brown catches up with Sorenson Impact Institute founder Jim Sorenson to talk about the building of an impact investing ecosystem.