Blog

REDF Impact Investing Fund Interview with Carrie McKellogg; Chief Executive Officer of the REDF Impact Investing Fund         Jen: How was the REDF Impact Investing Fund Created?  Carrie: REDF is a 25 year-old venture philanthropy investing exclusively in businesses that exist to help drive participation, equity, and growth --...

Sunwealth Solar Impact Fund Interview with Omar Blayton; Chief Financial Officer of the Sunwealth Solar Impact Fund       Jen: How was the Sunwealth Solar Impact Fund Created?  Omar: Sunwealth was created by recognizing a blind spot in the approach of traditional capital in the solar industry. The blind spot...

Black Farmer Fund Interview with Olivia Watkins; Co-Founder & Executive Director of Black Farmer Fund Jen: How was the Black Farmer Fund Created?  Olivia: In 2017, my co-founder Karen Washington and I came together at a farmers conference and talked about the lack of access to capital for...

Walden Mutual Bank Interview with Charley; President & CEO of Walden Mutual Bank Jen: How was Walden Mutual Bank Created?  Charley: Back in 2013 I started Walden Local, a brand of local, sustainable meat.  We had grown to be a really amazing and impactful company, but in building...

Invest Appalachia Interview with Andrew Crosson; CEO of Invest Appalachia       Jen: How was Invest Appalachia Created?  Andrew: Invest Appalachia was started in response to the identified need for more flexible capital and capacity to plug gaps in the region's investment system. A 5-year collaborative research, planning, and design...

Akiptan, Inc Interview with Skya Ducheneaux; Executive Director of Akiptan, Inc Jen: How was Akiptan, Inc Created?  Skya: Akiptan was founded by Native ag professionals from the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) in 2017 and as of January 1st, 2019, Akiptan has begun operating and lending as an independent...

Infinity Point CDFI & Local Ownership Catalyst Fund (LOCF) Interview with Marc Tognotti, President & Founder of Infinity Point CDFI and the Local Ownership Catalyst Fund (LOCF) Jen: How was Infinity Point CDFI and the Local Ownership Catalyst Fund (LOCF) Created?  Marc: The fund was started by Marc...

Potlikker Capital Fund Interview with Mark Watson; President & Co-Founder of Potlikker Jen: How was the Potlikker Fund Created?  Mark: Fund was started to address rural racism as it manifests in farming and climate impacts. Fund co founded by Mark Watson and Konda Mason Jen: How are your investment...

Reinventure Capital Fund I Interview with Juliane Zimmerman, Managing Director, GP of Reinventure Capital Fund I, LP Jen: Why was the Reinventure Fund I created? Julianne Zimmerman: Edward Dugger III was motivated to found Reinventure Capital to reintroduce the high-return + high-impact strategy he previously executed with UNC...

Equitable Food Oriented Development Fund  Interview with Mariela Cedeño, Community Investment Committee Chair, Equitable Food Oriented Development Fund  Jen: Why was EFOD created? Mariela: The Equitable Food Oriented Development Collaborative emerged from conversations held by long time food systems leaders around our shared vision and holistic approach to...