Substantial funding to support the upcoming Centre for Impact Investing at MaRS Discovery District has been provided by the Rockefeller Foundation and J.W. McConnell Family Foundation.
The Centre for Impact Investing will be a national hub working to increase awareness for, and effectiveness of, social finance. It is hoped that their efforts will catalyze new capital, talent and initiatives that will tackle social and environmental problems in Canada. Acting as a global connection for Canadian initiatives, the Centre will deliver programs and initiatives focused on research and policy, market and product development, and education. Impact investment is crucial to launching new innovative projects and initiatives in order to combat social issues in Canada from poverty to environmental problems.
A recent report from J.P. Morgan and the Rockefeller Foundation found that the Canadian impact investing market currently sits at $2 billion, but is expected to grow to $30 billion in ten years.
Housed at MaRS, the Centre for Impact Investing will use their location as a foundational work, including the landmark report “Mobilizing Private Capital for Public Good,” by the Canadian Task Force on Social Finance.
With their contribution, Rockefeller and McConnell have issued a call to action for Canadian investors: support the Centre and engage with this emerging market.
The Centre is expected to open in the winter of 2011.
September 29, 2011
Responsible Investing