Chief Community Officer Lauren Grattan spoke at Milken Global about creating access to capital for underestimated entrepreneurs.
Milken Global: Exploring Alternative Funding Models for Small Business
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inclusive economy
Letters from Lauren: April 2024
Across recent projects, our goal remains the same: Getting capital into the hands of social impact-minded businesses, nonprofits, and initiatives that don’t usually qualify for conventional capital. In other words—flowing capital where it doesn’t, but should.
CDFI boosts small business lending with private partner
Community Reinvestment Fund, USA and Mission Driven Finance are leveraging their respective strengths to solve community finance challenges, including difficulties faced by small businesses in accessing conventional sources of capital.
Fire sign chat: Interview with Co-founders Lauren and David
Co-founders spend so much time problem-solving together that they are often described as being in a work marriage. Sometimes, co-founders may also be actual life partners.
Introducing the Indigenous Futures Fund at the White House
We were at the White House to share about our new Indigenous Futures Fund—designed to accelerate the flow of capital to Native entrepreneurs and Tribal enterprises.
$1 Million from Prebys Foundation to Bolster Child Care
The Conrad Prebys Foundation announces a $1 million program-related investment (PRI) in Care Access Real Estate (CARE) as part of their landmark commitment to invest $100 million over the next ten years advancing the well-being of San Diego.
Letters from Lauren: February 2024
We’re planning to reach ONE BILLION DOLLARS over the next few years, after having crossed $100 million in AIC at the end of 2023.
Transformative Loans: San Diego County’s COVID-19 Nonprofit Loan Program Yields $5.2M Repayment and Reinvestment in Community
The loan program bolstered the work of 26 nonprofits serving the region throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Supporting diverse emerging fund managers
Lauren Grattan spoke on an Impact Finance Center and Boston Impact Initiative panel on how backbone organizations like Common Future and Mission Driven Finance are driving diversity, equity, and inclusion in the world of emerging managers.
Letters from Lauren: December 2023
This fall, we reached a landmark moment, flowing over $100 million in assets into the community since our founding.
Interview with Fibers Fund’s Sarah Kelley and Teju Adisa-Farrar
“The Fibers Fund is designed to be catalytic by taking a holistic approach that helps fiber entrepreneurs receive the right-size capital and targeted support that they need to grow their business.”
San Diego Habitat for Humanity Announces Expanded Investment from Mission Driven Finance
San Diego Habitat for Humanity received new investments through impact asset manager Mission Driven Finance, expanding on their prior collaboration.
Letters from Lauren: November 2023
We’re leaning into radical imagination: ideating how to help route the flood of once-in-a-generation federal resources so that Indigenous and overlooked communities can flourish for years to come.
Vice President Kamala Harris Announces New Investment Fund to Expand Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs of Color
At the Freedman’s Bank Forum, VP Harris and the Initiative for Inclusive Entrepreneurship (IIE) announced new dedicated investment vehicles with a goal of raising $80 million in private and philanthropic capital to leverage federal funding for entrepreneurs of color.
Native Women Lead & The Future is Indigenous Women’s Inaugural Growth Capital Summit 2023
Lauren Grattan spoke at Native Women Lead & The Future is Indigenous Women’s Inaugural Growth Capital Summit, where over 120 Native women entrepreneurs, investors, and mentors gathered for three days of connection.
Bringing our impact home: Introducing the employee fund
As an impact investment advisory firm that manages and builds funds with the goal of amplifying social impact, it was essential for us to reflect those values internally too: “Don’t just talk about it, be about it!”
Letters from Lauren: September 2023
Summer has wound down, and we continue to activate a bevy of intentional impact capital vehicles, including closing 5 homes for child care.
Where to find the MDF team this 2023 conference season
Many of our team will be on the fall conference circuit again. If you see us, be sure to say hi!
