Community Investing


What is Community Investing? 

Community investing channels public and private investment to low income and other underserved communities in order to provide capital, credit and training that these communities would otherwise lack. While community investing spans a wide range of initiatives, some of the areas it helps to finance are:
 
  • Needed services (healthy communities, food access, education, child care, access to transit, access to jobs, affordable housing)
  • Economic development (quality job creation, infrastructure development)
  • Sustainable communities (mixed use/income smart growth, environmentally focused community investment)
 
There are community investment opportunities available to all levels of investors. Depository institutions such as community development banks and credit unions are popular community investment options, but increasingly, there are opportunities to invest in fixed income and private equity products. 
 
 
Why Invest in Communities?
 
Community investing provides individuals and organizations with tools and skills to improve the quality of life for themselves, their families and their communities. For many, community investing is the pathway to homeownership, job creation and small business development. Millions of lives have been changed in the United States and around the world by this sustainable investment strategy.
 
 
Getting Started
 
A diverse, vibrant and growing marketplace of options exists for community investment, with varying financial returns and an array of community impacts. Our resource lists for Retail, Accredited and Asset Managers is an excellent place to learn more about community investment options.