Impact Investing Update
Our Commitment to Ethical Stewardship
In 2021, the United Church of Canada Foundation committed to investing for positive social and environmental impact. Called “Impact investing”, it provides capital to address urgent challenges in our society. The Foundation has always incorporated church values into its investment portfolio; impact investing marked a shift in carrying out our work. For the past three years, the assets entrusted to us by generous United Church people have been making positive contributions through our investments, in addition to our grants supporting essential and innovative ministries across the country.
It’s a delight to provide an update on the Foundation’s impact investing progress! Read on to learn more.
Interpreting Investment Success
Impact investing offers us another way to interpret investment “success”, besides financial return. It’s exciting to be part of this growing movement, challenging the long-held views that social and environmental issues should (or can!) only be addressed through donations, and that investments should focus exclusively on achieving financial returns.
Four principles guide the Foundation’s approach to impact investing:
- Alignment to our mission of doing God’s work
- Complementing and enhancing our granting priorities
- Meeting our financial obligations
- Measuring our impact
Foundation Impact Investing Update Report
Through our investment partner Genus, several investments focus on the Foundation’s priorities. We support Indigenous businesses and projects, “green”-focused businesses, and initiatives working towards economic justice for racialized and newcomer communities.
By mobilizing accessible capital for Ontario food and farm enterprises, Fair Finance Fund is stimulating local economies with the creation of over 240 jobs. Support from our Green Bond is helping RE Royalties power 82,434 homes annually. And with their Indigenous culture-centred approach, Raven Indigenous Capital Partners has granted more than $250,000 in scholarships to Indigenous youth. Plus many more incredible impact stories!
We’re pleased to share the full report with you, click the image or link below to read it now:
What’s Next?
While our impact investments currently comprise a small amount of our overall portfolio, Foundation President Sarah Charters told Genus earlier this year, “Our strategic plan has us working toward getting 50% of our investments into impact investments by 2027, which is hugely ambitious”.
Sarah also chatted with SETSI a few months ago “I feel very optimistic about the future of social innovation in communities of faith. I think, as with a number of things that the church does, it’s been doing them forever, but it hasn’t been recognized as such”
Here We Grow!
The United Church of Canada Foundation is excited to continue to grow our impact investing portfolio. Watch our communications for features on our other impact investments, updates to the portfolio and more. We welcome your feedback and questions about impact investing any time, please email fdn@united-church.ca to chat!
