Realize Capital Partners

NEW IMM SUPPORT: As part of our efforts to grow the social finance market, we have just extended our market-building IMM programming to support two additional groups of social finance participants: pre-investment social finance intermediaries (SFIs) and social purpose organizations (SPOs).   Pre-investment SFIs can now take advantage of a new resource, IMM Fundamentals, developed by global IMM leaders at Impact Frontiers. And SPOs in the SFF can sign up for a new program of IMM support being facilitated by LIFT Impact Partners.   IMM Fundamentals: A new online resource to help SFIs across Canada gain the knowledge they need to effectively measure, manage and communicate their social and environmental impacts, including: - Clear guidance on IMM principles - Tailored resources related to the SFF, including materials from Common Approach to Impact Measurement   SPO IMM Programming:  This program is designed to help SPOs build the skills and tools needed to better measure and manage impact at any stage of impact measurement maturity. Supports will include: - Workshops, peer-to-peer learning opportunities and tailored one-to-one coaching - Guidance to develop robust priority outcomes and indicators - Direction on alignment with SFF requirements   Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gJaz-g8z   Emploi et Développement social Canada (EDSC) / Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), Boann Social Impact, Fonds de finance sociale Cap Finance

As we launch today the second cohort of the Impact Measurement and Management for the Social Finance Fund (#IMM for the #SFF) capacity-building program, we wanted to share some early reflections. This program supports Social Finance Intermediaries (SFIs) who have received investment from any SFF wholesaler.   “When planning the first cohort, we chose to prioritize considering what it could mean to be more responsive to Indigenous ways of knowing in an IMM program, and to be more inclusive of Indigenous IMM methodologies – while still being a program that covers all the fundamentals of IMM and their applications for SFIs in the SFF.”   Special thanks to co-facilitators Mike McCreless of Impact Frontiers and Marissa Hill of Common Approach to Impact Measurement who have brought valuable contributions and reflections to this journey.   Read more: https://lnkd.in/d3hdNdSH

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL for the development of the Social Finance Hub   Boann Social Impact is seeking proposals to develop the Social Finance Hub as a central platform to strengthen the Canadian social finance ecosystem. interested applicants have until March 28 at 5:00 PM to submit their proposals.   Apply today  http://bit.ly/41v7X6d   #SocialFinance #FinanceSociale #ImpactInvesting #SocialFinanceFund #FondsFinanceSociale

SURVEY: What are the big challenges you face to participating in blended finance transactions?   Your answer could result in new programs and resources being developed to overcome those challenges, helping assets owners and managers in Canada to boost the blended finance and catalytic capital approaches in their investment portfolios.   Thrive Impact Fund and Spring have set up a short survey to collect your thought on blended finance. Their survey should take just four minutes to complete. We’re pleased to have sponsored this survey and encourage you to find a few minutes to fill it in.   > https://lnkd.in/gkP2YNcz

If you, or your colleagues, are interested in helping to guide our work through one of our advisory committees, please apply soon. We need to close applications this Sunday.   

“Realize Capital Partners have made significant progress with the Social Finance Fund since its implementation. The Social Finance Fund is tackling persistent social and environmental problems and supporting critical progress in social equity and gender equality for the social finance market in Canada.” - Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development   Read about our latest investments into Realize Fund I: https://lnkd.in/gSwB5aKc Emploi et Développement social Canada (EDSC) / Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)

NEW INVESTMENTS. Today we announce the second set of investments for Realize Fund I: seven investments, totalling a commitment of capital of $32.5 million. These new investments support our efforts to construct a portfolio that tackles inequity through multifaceted, positively reinforcing investments. These new investments are setting the stage for deep, broad positive impact across the country for years to come. They will help to enrich the social finance market by diversifying social finance intermediaries, extending capital to underrepresented areas and deepening the access equity-deserving groups have to social finance. As we build out the portfolio, it is demonstrating that it’s possible to secure risk-adjusted returns alongside strong positive impact. These new investments bring the portfolio differentiated investment strategies in real assets and real estate, as well as more private equity strategies, maintaining focus on financial return goals as well as impact performance goals. Realize Fund I wraps up 2024 with 16 investments, at a committed value of $67.7 million. Learn more about our portfolio: https://lnkd.in/gSwB5aKc  Amplify Capital, Area One Farms, Flowing River Capital, Heartwood Trust, Idealist Capital, Jubilee Fund, Maple Bridge Ventures, Misfit Ventures, New Market Funds, PaceZero Capital Partners , Raven Indigenous Capital Partners, Regenerative Capital Group, Relentless Venture Fund, The51 Food and AgTech Fund, Thrive Impact Fund, Windmill Microlending Emploi et Développement social Canada (EDSC) / Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)

As mentioned last week when it was launched, we welcome the SELI Coding System as a new tool to support our assessment of social equity and gender equality. Some more info about SELI can be found in this post from Emploi et Développement social Canada (EDSC) / Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC): https://lnkd.in/gGbVjP8D In this SELI Coding System Pilot Phase we'll continue to collaborate with and learn from the Government of Canada and other social finance market participants. SELI Coding is in a pilot phase and ESDC is soliciting comments and questions about it; email the department at NC-SOCIAL_INNOVATION_SOCIALE-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

One way to be positively impactful in 2025? Joining our advisory committee! We’re seeking new committee members for our sector advisory and our investment advisory committees. We’re looking for applications from people who, in addition to having the skills and experiences listed in the committee terms of reference, live outside of Ontario or are a member of an equity-deserving group, such as an Indigenous person or member of the LGBTQ community. Deadline: mid-December. Learn more: - Sector advisory: https://lnkd.in/gtgyXDD8 - Investment advisory: https://lnkd.in/gFMe-4Xf

We're at the Sustainable Finance Forum, and have just marked the launch of the Social Equity Lens Investment (SELI) Coding System, a tool to define, assess and track progress towards the Social Finance Fund’s investment targets of advancing social equity and gender equality. We’ve been pleased to support the development of this coding system, alongside other SFF wholesalers. We expect this new tool to be a useful addition to our assessment process. We’ll now be piloting the SELI Coding System. In this pilot phase we’ll continue to collaborate with and learn from Emploi et Développement social Canada (EDSC) / Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and other social finance market participants to deepen a shared understanding of what strong social equity practices and outcomes look like.