April 2018 Newsletter
Be Bold, Be Strong, Be Big and Be Known
- Travis Green, LOCUS Solutions Consultant, highlights the journey of the Ann Arbor Community Foundation to become community impact driven. This story offers inspiration to other place-focused foundations who want to move in this direction. 
The staff of the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation (AAACF) has taken to calling their foundation “a community impact engine” where the whole staff – finance, administration, development, program – works in service of impact. “It’s a virtuous cycle… create impact, build endowment, create more impact, build more endowment,” said Jillian Rosen, the foundation’s Vice President for Community Investment.
From AAACF's 2017 Annual Community Meeting , where President & CEO, Neel Hajra , announced donor's gifts that made impact investing possible in the form of a nonprofit loan program. Pictured left to right: Brian Campbell , AAACF Board Treasurer, Tim Wadhams , current Board Chair, Michelle Crumm , current Immediate Past Chair, and Neel Hajra .
It’s not just a good marketing line, either. In the last three years, the foundation has witnessed remarkable growth even when adjusted for market performance. Assets of the foundation have grown 80%, and, as a result, the foundation’s grantmaking has almost doubled. The success came after a process where the foundation asked, “How are we contributing to the overall wellness of Washtenaw County?” Rosen said, “Endowment came as the answer...” - Read More
LOCUS FOCUS
LOCUS at CFUnited
From March 19-21, LOCUS Impact Investing joined community foundations from across the United States in Las Vegas for the first ever CFUnited Conference . Teri Lovelace, President of LOCUS, Lisa Barr of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and Lisa O’Mara of the Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia led a session called “Impact Investing with Our CDFI.” The session provided an overview of local community development organizations called CDFIs and profiled how the two community foundations were approaching local investing with their CDFI partners. 

You can download a copy of the event slides here .
Pictured: "Impact Investing with Our CDFI" Speakers - (from left to right) Lisa Barr, Teri Lovelace, Lisa O’Mara
Place-Focused Foundations Unlocking Philanthropic Capital for Local Impacting Investing
Increasingly, place-focused foundations seek to have greater impact in their communities by considering options beyond traditional grant-making to address critical issues like the availability of quality jobs, access to fresh foods and safe child care. Enter CDFIs.

Learn about how CDFIs are becoming the go-to partner for foundations looking to make a differenc e by investing in place in this Opportunity Finance Network blog article by Teri Lovelace, President of LOCUS. - Read More
Congratulations, BALLE Fellows of 2018!
Our own Deb Markley has been named to the 2018 cohort of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) Local Economy Fellowship . She joins 25 leaders recognized as representing some of the most innovative local economic and community development solutions in the U.S. and Canada.

These leaders, systems entrepreneurs, and ecosystem builders are pushing the boundaries of economic change and championing locally-based, regenerative rural enterprise. - Read More
Client Spotlight
LOCUS is working with the Impact Foundation , based in Fargo, ND, to update the Transfer of Wealth TM scenarios for the state.

This comprehensive data will help nonprofits create momentum for vital local projects, from senior housing to community centers to high-quality health services.
The Kresge Foundation is partnering with LOCUS and VCC Bank to better accommodate its growing social investment portfolio. LOCUS will provide back office accounting and reporting services to Kresge.
LOCUS at the Community Foundation of Northwest Missouri Conference
On March 9, 2018, LOCUS Senior Vice President, Deb Markley, gave the keynote address at the Community Foundation of Northwest Missouri’s annual event in Chillicothe, MO. More than 150 people came together to hear about “Finding Your Best ‘Next Step’ Toward Regional Prosperity.”

Established in 2009, this young foundation is working to promote the idea that communities in the region are “Better Together!” We’ll be hearing more good things from the foundation in the future!
Coming very soon...
A special report on new national Transfer of Wealth™ numbers! This report will shine a spotlight on the enormous, untapped well of potential resources foundations can channel toward impact investing. Watch for our special email announcement or follow us on Twitter .
News From the Field
The Council of Michigan Foundations has released a set of videos, including one on impact investing where the Sturgis Area Community Foundation uses mission-related investments to make a big difference. Find out how smaller foundations revitalize neighborhoods to catalyze economic development. - See More
From the Appalachia Funders Network , the Strengthening Community Capacity Working Group has developed a proposal outlining plans to address capacity opportunities and challenges faced by rural Appalachian communities. - Read More
Philanthropy Northwest has just released the Cascadia Foodshed Financing Project Case Study . This study highlights a regional food economy as an opportunity for co-investment in Oregon and Washington and provides a close look at a working relationship between foundations and private investors.   - Read More
From The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) comes the " Roadmap for the Future of Impact Investing: Reshaping Financial Markets ." The Roadmap identifies actions the impact investing community can take in order to enhance the effectiveness of impact investing. - Read More
From the Appalachian Regional Commission comes " Creating a Culture of Health in Appalachia: Disparities and Bright Spots ." This multi-part health research project will identify factors that support health in Appalachian communities and explore activities, programs, or policies that encourage better health outcomes. - Read More
In “ Helping Impact Investing Live Up to Its Promise ,” a podcast hosted by Denver Frederick , Amit Bouri , Co-Founder and CEO of GIIN , talks about his organization's work to make impact investing a “transformative force for good.”  - Listen Here
In an article by David Bank , CEO of ImpactAlpha , The Nathan Cummings Foundation pledged to align 100% of its half billion-dollar endowment toward critical, mission aligned issues like climate change and income inequality. - Read More
Upcoming Events
Here is where you will find members of the LOCUS team in the coming months:
April 24-26 Pikeville, KY
LOCUS is a sponsor, and Sydney England is a participant.
April 25 - 26 Kansas City, MO
The Center for Rural Entrepreneurship will
co-host and sponsor the event.
April 30 – May 2 Nashville, TN
LOCUS is a sponsor, and Teri Lovelace is panelist. Sydney England will manage the LOCUS exhibit.
Mission Forward!
May 14-16 Chicago, IL
LOCUS is a sponsor, and members of the LOCUS team will be in attendance.
Email us at info@locusimpactinvesting.org if you would like to connect with LOCUS at MIE!
Stay Connected!
Encourage others to sign up for our mailing list and/or follow us on social media by forwarding this newsletter or by sharing the registration link!

LOCUS Capital, Inc. is a Registered Investment Advisor Firm. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where LOCUS Capital, Inc. and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. LOCUS Capital, Inc. and its representatives do not furnish investment advice or services through this website. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns.