From eJewish Philanthropy (August 15, 2022)

Impact investing eludes a precise definition, as different donors can feel they are making a positive impact with different kinds of investments.

“For some [private] foundations, investing in Israel will be considered impact because it helps Israel,” said Andres Spokoiny, CEO of the Jewish Funders Network, an umbrella group for Jewish private foundations. “Others are going to tell you no, just investing in say, Waze or Mobileye is not really impact…there’s not any tradeoff between profit and philanthropic impact.”

Largely, Jewish community foundations have settled on offering impact investment programs that make donors feel they are making an immediate impact, rather than gaining long-term financial returns from financial markets. Donors aren’t losing money, however, as impact investments are often in the form of recyclable loans.

Read the full article by Lev Gringauz in eJewish Philanthropy.

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