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Growing Georgia’s Impact Investing Ecosystem

At the Georgia Social Impact Collaborative (GSIC), we believe every community in Georgia can grow thriving local economies if capital resources are aligned with & connected to investment opportunities throughout the state. That’s why we unite foundations, public & private sector investors, community development organizations, social enterprises, nonprofits, & other local leaders to unlock & deploy creative capital & impact investing dollars where it matters most.

Our Why

For too long, traditional investment systems and paradigms have prioritized financial returns over social impact, neglecting the capital needs and investment opportunities present in communities. Left undisrupted, capital is invested along the “path of least resistance” through conventional markets, often leaving communities, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and more without the resources needed to thrive. Impact investing interrupts this outdated paradigm by embedding social and environmental impact into the investment equation.

Georgia is home to a diverse set of communities, each with unique strengths and challenges. We believe that impact investing can and should be a tool to bring more capital to communities throughout the state. However, without the statewide infrastructure to educate potential impact investors and coordinate investments, opportunities are often missed, and capital remains inefficiently allocated. GSIC exists to bridge these gaps by fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and providing essential resources to investors and investees alike.

Impact investing can be a powerful tool to help more capital flow to areas that Georgians care about – affordable housing, entrepreneurship, food systems, childcare, vibrant neighborhoods, community resilience, and more. Over time, we hope to grow a “high-functioning” impact investing ecosystem across our state.

What does that mean to GSIC? Check out our definition to the right!

Provides Pathways for Collaboration, Partnerships, Co-Investment, & Network-Building

Effective collaboration among investors, government agencies, businesses, nonprofits, community organizations, and philanthropies creates a supportive environment for impact investing. Stakeholders work together to align on regional or local goals, co-design projects, and pool resources, ensuring that capital flows toward impactful solutions. A high-functioning ecosystem is one where ecosystem stakeholders (Capital Suppliers, Capital Aggregators, Capital Seekers, and Capital Enablers) are known and in relationship with each other. Opportunities for individuals and institutions to form new relationships are possible.

Prioritizes Local Knowledge, Context, & Understanding

A successful place-based ecosystem prioritizes deep knowledge of local needs, resources, and opportunities. This understanding enables targeted investments that address specific challenges, such as affordable housing, workforce development, or health disparities, making investments more impactful and relevant to the community. High-functioning ecosystems are ones that also identify local stakeholders (Capital Suppliers, Capital Aggregators, Capital Seekers, and Capital Enablers) working in specific community impact areas.

Encourages Impact-First Investment, Blended Finance, & Catalytic Capital

Impact-first capital is essential to fund projects that may be less attractive to traditional investors due to perceived risk or lower returns but provide significant social impact. A high-functioning ecosystem creates opportunities for mission-first investment and blended finance (or catalytic capital) approaches – combining grants, public funding, and private capital to attract investment in high-impact projects that benefit the community.

Centers the Needs of Those Without Traditional Capital Access

To center the needs of those without traditional capital access, a place-based impact investing ecosystem should emphasize inclusive decision-making by involving community members directly in planning and project selection, ensuring that investments align with their priorities. Additionally, developing accessible capital vehicles such as flexible loan structures, micro-investments, and pooled funds provides smaller, manageable capital options for underserved individuals and startups. By prioritizing community input and creating flexible financing models, the ecosystem can ensure investments are responsive to local needs and foster broader economic inclusion.

Pushes for Continual Improvement & Impact Evaluation

High-functioning ecosystems push for continual improvement. Impact investing is not a linear practice, nor is it achievement-based. There is always room for improvement and evolution. A high-functioning ecosystem encourages practitioners to employ transparent and standardized impact measurement frameworks to assess social and environmental outcomes. Clear metrics and accountability structures help ensure that investments produce the desired impact, build trust, and attract additional capital from investors who value measurable outcomes. Stakeholders are encouraged to consider new models, tools, and practices.

We play three roles to grow Georgia’s impact investing ecosystem.

Check out a few examples of our model & approach in action!

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Leading an Impact Investing Education Series for Foundations

GSIC’s ongoing foundation learning series is designed to empower Georgia’s philanthropic community with the knowledge and tools necessary to engage in local impact investing. Topics include fiduciary duty & governance, common investment & structures, investment evaluation & assessment, operational and more.

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Unlocking Impact Lending & Working Capital for Atlanta’s Nonprofits

In early 2025, GSIC was engaged by a group of Atlanta-based foundation leaders to co-design and facilitate the “Capital Access & Nonprofit Financial Needs Roundtable Series,” which aims to bridge the gap between nonprofits navigating financial uncertainty and capital providers exploring new ways to support them.

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Growing the Atlanta Impact Finance Meet Up Community

Since 2022, GSIC has been a backbone convener and financial sponsor of the Atlanta Impact Finance Meetup group. Through quarterly coffee and happy hour events, this growing community routinely attracts 30-50+ individuals representing different segments and organizations in Georgia’s impact investing ecosystem!

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Promoting Shared Ownership Models in Georgia

In August 2024, GSIC co-designed & co-hosted the “Expanding Shared Ownership in Georgia” convening with The Rutgers Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing, Kindred Futures, and Goizueta’s Business & Society Institute. The event brought together 50+ stakeholders to discuss the shared ownership models, explore how these models could help address economic inequality, & identify strategies for expanding these models in Georgia.

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Expanding the Use of Guarantees & Credit Enhancements

GSIC identified the financial pressures created by COVID-19 for nonprofit & social enterprise partners throughout Georgia. GSIC stepped into a virtual organizing and convening space to help rally impact capital to address financial strain. Our efforts contributed to the creation of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta’s Guarantee Pool – a facility that incentives CDFI lending to organizations awaiting federal reimbursements.

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Hosting the First Statewide CDFI Conference in Georgia

In 2023, GSIC held its first large-scale event, the “State of Georgia CDFI Conference.” With nearly 200 participants from across the state in attendance, this day-long conference was an opportunity to clarify key concepts inherent to the CDFI field & business model, educate investors on the value of & pathways for investing in CDFIs, uplift Georgia’s CDFI leaders & their impact, & promote greater collaboration & investment in the ecosystem.

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