Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment

2023 CDFI Sustainable Investing Trends

Apr 26, 2023 10:00 AM ET
Keisha Bolden of Self-Help Credit Union
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After years of working, saving and dreaming, the Quintero family of Fresno, CA became homeowners in 2023 with a home loan from Self-Help. Self-Help offers a suite of mortgage loans designed to make homeownership more accessible to more families.

by Keisha Bolden of Self-Help Credit Union

Sustainable investing has gained momentum over the past decade with both financial professionals and casual investors, and in 2023 it’s more relevant than ever. Growing social, economic, and environmental concerns have fueled an increase in socially responsible investments as more people realize the positive impact their investments can make.

CDFIs (Community Development Financial Institutions) are critical players in sustainable investing, leveraging specialized knowledge and resources to create innovative financial products with a positive social return. As we look ahead to the rest of 2023 and beyond, these key CDFI investing trends are likely to play a crucial role in the sustainable investing movement.

Investing in Gender Equity - CDFIs are increasingly emphasizing women-led projects, helping to counter the substantial barriers that female entrepreneurs still face. According to research from the Kaufman Foundation and the PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor, women make up 40% of founders, yet received only 2% of total venture capital allocations in 2022. Additional collective research by ICA and CNote has found noteworthy challenges for women, particularly women of color. Although women entrepreneurs are approved for lower loan amounts with higher interest rates, the probability of them defaulting on loans is 2 to 4.5% lower than that of men founders. CDFIs are leading the charge to change these inequities. 

Read the rest of Keisha's very informative article here - https://greenmoney.com/2023-cdfi-sustainable-investing-trends

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