The terms “impact investing” and “ESG” (Environmental, Social, and Governance) are not synonyms. The investments Realize Impact does through its philanthropic investment grants (PHIGs) and the investment touted on The Liist are impact investments, with and without regard to ESG. Stanford University’s SSIR explains the history of the two terms and tries to define...
Pacific Northwest leaders who are wielding tech for good causes are doing great things — and Geekwire annually celebrates those efforts. This year there are three winners: Black Boardroom Initiative, Coding Dojo and CovidWA.com, the last of those being a project of Realize Impact. CovidWA.com When COVID-19 vaccines began widely rolling out in early 2021, it unleashed an anxious scramble to find...
Since launching in February 2020, in the first 25 months Realize Impact’s philanthropic investment grants service has seen: 139 donor-investors from 12 community foundations, 12 DAF sponsors, 12 family foundations… totaling $14 million… 167 transactions in total… 43 different impact investments.
Back in 2020 four donor/investors used then then-new philanthropic investment service to recommend $177,800 of investment into Aquacycle, San Diego company with a novel technology for cleaning wastewater. Aquacycl® has developed the BioElectrochemical Treatment Technology (BETT®). The BETT® systems select and control natural bacteria for the purpose of accelerating wastewater treatment rates...
For years Realize Impact searched for a service that would make a difference in impact investing. The new philanthropic investing service is that calling. Since launching in February 2020 eighteen months ago, over 120 investor/donors have moved over $6 million into mission-driven for-profit organizations. 31 investments so far, many summarized on our blog. Why is this working so well? Simplicity...
2021 continues the rapid pace of donations, recommendations, and investments through Realize Impact’s philanthropic investment service. $1.5 million so far, not yet five months into the new year. We announced the 100th investor only 45 days ago, barely a year after launching the service. Where is all this money going? Either directly into impactful companies or indirectly to them via impact...
One year and a few weeks after launching our philanthropic investment service, the 100th investor has made a donation and recommended an investment. And before we could tout that milestone, the 101st donation arrived as a gift of appreciated shares. The 100th investor recommended an opportunity managed by Mission Driven Finance, to be invested in Nano PharmaSolutions. The 99th investor...
What can a few dozen Microsoft alumni do over a weekend to help end the pandemic? They can and did create a website to track where residents of Washington State can schedule their vaccine appointments, www.COVIDWA.com From their FAQ: We are a rapidly-growing volunteer group with over 70 members from WA State and around the world. We were frustrated at how long it took to try each vaccination...
February 2020, just before the pandemic was daily news, Realize Impact launched it’s philanthropic investment service. At the time we had just one signed partner, Seattle Foundation. In February we quietly launched, informing just a few people in the impact investing industry. By June, over $1.1 million of capital had flowed through the service from a few dozen donor/investors into five...
In addition to our off-the-shelf service that lets anyone turn philanthropic capital into an impact investment, this year Realize Impact now also operates three philanthropic investment funds for three partners. The Decarbon8-US fund is for those who believe in the power of entrepreneurship and technology and wonder what more they can do to mitigate climate change. Created in partnership...