When was the last time you opened up your favorite news source, scrolled through the headlines and thought to yourself, “Bravo world! Things are looking up!” Been a while, huh?
To kick off 2022, we are creating a new section in our newsletter we’re calling Good News for 22, where we’ll feature some of the best ideas and most creative leaders we’re seeing across the industry.
In our first installment, we’re sharing some headlines we’d like to see featured between now and year end — and we hope they’ll serve as inspiration for big bets and new ideas in 2022. Ready to be inspired? Here we go!
Good News for 22 Idea #1:
Headline: One of the Hottest Years in History Spurs Historic Investment in Climate Solutions
Why this one: 2021 was one of the hottest years on record — and the world is realizing that we need to up our game in funding solutions to address the climate crisis. However, there is a sizeable gap in where we are today vs. where we need to be. Current investments are only providing 20% of the trillions of dollars needed annually to limit global warming to 1.5° C and prevent the worst impacts of climate change. In 2022, we’d like to see families and donors play a significant role in closing the funding gap by integrating climate solutions into their portfolios — which they can do in all asset classes. Investors can align their public portfolios to invest in strategies that avoid climate related risks; identify private opportunities to build up existing solutions that can scale our ability react to or mitigate the effects of climate change; and seek out trailblazing ideas in climate tech or climate justice to catalyze outsized impact.
Good News for 22 Idea #2:
Headline: Black Entrepreneurs Continue to Raise Record Amount of Capital
Why this one: 2021 was a win for Black startup entrepreneurs — with a nearly fourfold increase in capital raised. Yet, this still only accounts for 1.2% of the total money raised by entrepreneurs in 2021. Families and donors can use their philanthropic capital to help bridge this funding gap and support Black entrepreneurs. And this type of investment can have a multiplying effect, allowing historically marginalized entrepreneurs to create jobs and economic opportunities for their communities. One example of an organization working on this issue is Camelback Ventures. Camelback supports early-stage underrepresented entrepreneurs whose ventures benefit their local communities, with a focus on education, conscious technology, and local economies.
Good News for 22 Idea #3:
Headline: Local Philanthropist’s $25,000 Gift Creates $250,000 in Impact for Nonprofit — Here’s How.
Why this one: Giving is innovating — and recoverable grants can help donors maximize the impact of their charitable capital in 2022. Recoverable grants are charitable funds earmarked for revenue-generating activities and have the potential for capital recovery. Donors can turn to the Southern Opportunity and Resilience Fund (SOAR) for an example of how this philanthropic support can make an outsized difference. SOAR helps historically marginalized communities in the U.S. access capital to navigate and rebuild in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. They use recoverable grant capital to backstop senior debt, allowing them to loan funds to marginalized communities at below-market and flexible rates.
Good News for 22 Idea #4:
Headline: Communities Across the U.S. Thriving Thanks to These Visionaries
Why this one: Building a healthy community means nurturing all the great things required for a thriving community. And no one does this better than an innovative Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). CDFIs — the longtime heroes of community development — take the money that families and donors deposit and use these funds to provide loans and financial support to help their communities thrive. Local businesses, affordable housing developments, childcare centers, and educational institutions are all examples of organizations that rely on funding from these types of community banks. And community can be defined broadly. CDFIs operate nationally, regionally, and locally to help create a thriving community for all citizens.
Good News for 22 Idea #5:
Headline: Global Vaccination Efforts Against Covid-19 Press Onward in 2022
Why this one: Today, where you live is a significant determining factor for whether you’re able to access a vaccine for COVID-19. The existing inequities between developed and less developed countries have been exacerbated by the pandemic, calling into stark relief the disparity in resources available worldwide. Donors and families interested in helping level this playing field in 2022 have an opportunity to use their philanthropic capital to fund strategies like the UNICEF Bridge Fund. The Bridge Fund uses recoverable grant capital to provide UNICEF with a consistent, on-demand source of funding so that they can deploy vaccines, medical equipment, medication, and food quickly. This allows them to get medicine, food, and supplies to the people who need it most, when they need it, rather than waiting until the funding arrives.
Good News for 22 Idea #6:
Headline: 3 Ways to Help the Food and Agriculture Sector Thrive in 2022
Why this one: Our approach to raising and growing our food has a significant impact on the planet, animals, and people. The agricultural sector currently accounts for an estimated 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions, and the way we raise animals for food — as well as which foods we’re able to access and afford — have a significant impact on our health. Families and donors invested in making a difference for the planet, animals, and people in 2022 can find opportunities in each of those interest areas: from investments championing biodiversity to efforts supporting sustainable farming practices to solutions to food insecurity.
As we see it, 2022 can be another year of the same old news and missed opportunities — or it can be the year families and donors decide to make headlines by allocating their philanthropic investment capital to drive the changes they want to see in the world. We’re pushing for the latter — come join us.
