Impact investing moves your investments from Wall Street to Main Street, aligning your financial resources with your values to create meaningful change.
Unlike traditional charitable giving, where a grant is a one-time gift, impact investing uses recyclable, “evergreen” funds to provide loans, loan guarantees, or ownership (equity) investments in local businesses. These investments support nonprofits, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and community projects that deliver sustained community and social benefits. Over time, as investments are repaid, those funds are reinvested into new projects, amplifying community impact again and again.
Why Does Impact Investing Matter to the Community Foundation?
At WCF, impact investing is a natural extension of our goal to inspire generosity and connect people, ideas, and resources. One of our most important roles is to steward community assets in proven and innovative ways that build long-term stability and growth. By offering impact investing opportunities, we empower donors to amplify their giving and investing to be part of solutions in areas like affordable housing, small business growth, including childcare, and inclusive economic development. This work helps strengthen our local economy and create lasting, positive change.
Why Should You Consider Impact Investing?
Impact investing allows you to put your resources to work in ways that reflect your values.
You have the opportunity to:
Ways to Participate:
We offer three distinct impact investment funds, each designed to meet community needs and provide donors with accessible, flexible opportunities to make a difference. Each fund has a dedicated page where you can learn more:
Small & Nonprofit Businesses
Provides bridge loans for nonprofits, equity investments in mission-aligned businesses, and loans for small businesses that face barriers to traditional financing.
Micro-lending
In partnership with the WWU Small Business Development Center and First Fed, this fund offers affordable loans from $2,500 to $50,000 to historically marginalized communities; newcomers, people of color, women, and rural entrepreneurs.
Affordable & Workforce Housing
Invests directly in solutions to increase affordable and workforce housing and accelerate construction for low- and middle-income households in Whatcom County.
Join us in creating a stronger, more inclusive community. Your investment today will become part of a cycle that transforms lives for years to come.
To learn more or to set up a meeting, contact Brad Tuininga, Vice President of Philanthropy, at brad@whatcomcf.org.
