Flexible Capital Fund

I am so excited to FINALLY share this beautiful and inspiring minidocumentary, ‘The Soul of Impact’, by Nic Askew and the Gratitude Railroad impact investor community that I am so proud to be featured in. In eight minutes, you’ll be reminded that with intentionality, the power of capitalism can truly benefit society, humanity, and the Earth. I don't want to give too much away, but I was particularly touched by how Laura Zizzo, founder of Manifest Climate, invoked Walt Whitman's moving poem, ‘A Song of the Rolling Earth’. In it, he mused, “When the materials are all prepared and ready, the architects shall appear.” And I wholeheartedly agree with Walt and Laura–appear they have. At Sustainable Ocean Alliance, founders of 62 of the world's most ambitious ocean startups are living proof that a new generation is designing the blueprints to build a restored world. Now, it is our job to fund, support, and champion them. The reality is, modern conveniences and quality of life are not going anywhere. But, to meet society’s demand, we must outcompete extractive, pollutive, and harmful industries by funneling capital into planet-positive alternatives. The supply is there. Now, we just have to move the capital differently. As Phil Nies so eloquently stated, “It may not be the easiest path, but I do believe it is the far more fulfilling path.” I can’t begin to express how grateful I am for the opportunity to use my career and my platform to help bring these much-needed solutions to market. But I don’t do it alone. At SOA, our team and community rely on a mosaic of investors, foundations, philanthropic donors, and passionate individuals like you, all operating with the knowledge and belief that– “Capital is the only way to scale. It is the only pathway towards truly getting some of these innovations, world-changing ideas, to become real and to become a norm for civilization.” Watch the full mini-doc here → https://lnkd.in/gFqHU6Ev If you’d like to begin your impact investing journey, comment your questions and I’d be happy to offer guidance!

Congratulations to our inaugural Impact Investing Program’s first three funding recipients! Investing in these organizations—who together will share in awards totaling $3.5 million—allows the Endowment to advance our mission of doing more for working forests while also growing our financial resources. Read more about this exciting news: https://bit.ly/4dj7WFo #WorkingForests #SustainableForests #ForestProud #Communities

With the re-election of Donald Trump as President, we reaffirm our commitment to climate action alongside America Is All In and the U.S. Climate Alliance: “We will not waver…We will not turn back.” Collectively, we represent nearly two-thirds of the U.S. population and three-quarters of the U.S. GDP, so despite changes in leadership, America’s climate-leading states, cities, and institutions are steadfast in their efforts to build a healthier, more prosperous future for all. https://lnkd.in/eKYgEvni

Great event for your virtual team - an artisanal cider tasting! - Beautiful tasting kits shipped directly to your team members - Highest quality ciders from Eden Specialty Ciders in Vermont - These are actual bottles and cans, not test tubes! - On line interactive tasting led by Eden founder Eleanor Leger - $69pp includes shipping For more information, visit https://lnkd.in/ejMGc8NB To sign up and set a date, contact parties@edenciders.com

Join New England Impact Investing Initiative, Inc. and Community Investment Project for an event at Federal Reserve Bank of Boston highlighting incredible philanthropic place-based #impactinvesting work happening in New England. Register now: https://lnkd.in/eTacJvwR

Thrilled to see that "Show Her The Money" will be showing right here in Vermont! Thank you Vermont Women's Fund for making this happen! Less than 2% of venture capital funding goes into female founded businesses. Come learn more! Hope to see you there.... https://lnkd.in/eMpgnR6r

Access to #capital is critical for growing businesses, and access to the right kind of capital is paramount. Community Development Financing Institutions are the backbone of local business environments, and #Vermont has one of the best in the nation in the Flexible Capital Fund. The creative, royalty-based (sometimes referred to as revenue-based) financing packages that the FCF offered to Encore Renewable Energy back in 2016 and again in 2019 allowed us to grow our business sustainably, with debt service payments tied to actual revenues rather than on a regular, monthly basis. And with zero dilution. Simply stated, we would not be where we are today without the creative, purpose-driven, collaborative approach that Janice St. Onge (she/her) and the FCF provided us. Grateful to be part of the FCF family, and if any of my investor friends are looking for a solid investment opportunity to help advance the fields of sustainable agriculture, food systems, forest products, renewable energy, and other natural resource sectors in #newengland, shoot Janice or me a note! #investing #CDFI #forceforgood Ellen Kahler Lawrence Miller Blake Sturcke Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) B Lab U.S. & Canada VermontBiz Magazine