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Impact Investing

9 Beans Row owner Nic Wetly holding a piece of kale with his farm in the background

Good Stewards for Greater Impact

With over 30 years of experience, we are trusted stewards of resources for our communities. We invest and direct funds responsibly and use assets to leverage other resources for greater impact.

Impact investing is one of the tools that allow us expand our sources of community support.

Through impact investing, we can help small businesses and strengthen the local economy, both of which are critical to our region’s vitality

Investments and impact since 2022

THE NUMBERS

$0M

invested from our endowment portfolio

0

loans made by our CDFI partners

0

entities receiving small business loans

$0M+

leveraged beyond our initial investments

0

jobs created or retained

0

counties represented in small business loans

Supporting Local Business through Local Partnerships

As a Community Foundation, we exist to invest in the people and places of our region and steward community assets for lasting impact. We do this by promoting generous donor giving, funding pressing needs and promising opportunities through grants to area nonprofit organizations, awarding meaningful scholarships to local students, and engaging in collaborative leadership efforts all while building endowments that make a lasting impact for generations to come.

Over our 33-year history, we’ve grown to hold over $100 million in endowment assets. Our endowment financial and spending strategy allows for annual disbursements of almost $4 million annually in grant and scholarship awards. In addition to serving our communities through our grant support, we are determined to expand our capacity and have a positive impact serving all in our region.

Impact investing, also known as program-related investing, is one avenue that expands our capacity. Impact investing involves deploying a portion of our assets locally to achieve both a social and financial return. This investment strategy allows us to expand our sources of community impact beyond grantmaking alone and provides an effective tool to support strengthening our local economy, helping the business and nonprofit community secure federal and state government financial support, and enhancing our ability to have community impact in the region.

Read more about our impact investing strategy

Local Small Businesses & Organizations Supported

  • Bos Wine
    • Support Description: Working capital
    • County Represented: Antrim
    • CDFI Partner: Venture North Funding & Development
  • Function Rehabilitation
    • Support Description: Refinance and pay off high interest loan, working capital
    • County Represented: Grand Traverse
    • CDFI Partner: Northern Initiatives
  • Grocer's Daughter Chocolate
    • Support Description: Capital for facilities expansion & bridge loan to secure inventory
    • County Represented: Leelanau
    • CDFI Partner: Venture North Funding & Development
  • Homestretch Nonprofit Housing Corporation
    • Support Description: 10 apartments at or below 80% AMI in Traverse City & 12 apartments at or below 80% AMI in Frankfort
    • County Represented: Grand Traverse, Benzie
    • CDFI Partner: IFF
  • Lake Ann Manufacturing LLC 
    • Support Description: Specialized equipment purchase and installation
    • County Represented: Benzie
    • CDFI Partner: Venture North Funding & Development
  • Michigan Farm Co-Op
    • Support Description: Bridge loan while awaiting federal grant
    • County Represented: Grand Traverse
    • CDFI Partner: Venture North Funding & Development
  • Mission Proper
    • Support Description: New business development
    • County Represented: Grand Traverse
    • CDFI Partner: Venture North Funding & Development
  • NoBo Mrkt, LLC.
    • Support Description: Start up capital for micro food hall
    • County Represented: Grand Traverse
    • CDFI Partner: Northern Initiatives
  • Northland Precision
    • Support Description: Working capital for business
    • County Represented: Grand Traverse
    • CDFI Partner: Northern Initiatives
  • Rising Phoenix Business Services, LLC
    • Support Description: Working capital for business
    • County Represented: Grand Traverse
    • CDFI Partner: Northern Initiatives
  • TC Golf Carts 
    • Support Description: Business expansion
    • County Represented: Grand Traverse
    • CDFI Partner: Venture North Funding & Development
  • TNT Lighting & Electric Services
    • Support Description: Business purchase
    • County Represented: Grand Traverse
    • CDFI Partner: Venture North Funding & Development

Our Community Development Financial Institution Partners

  • Venture North

  • northern initiatives

  • iff