SIR will produce market research products and services for advisors to better support their clients, social impact investors, make informed choices to invest more confidently in proven solutions to social problems.
Research Reports
Overview
Social Impact Research will offer research reports with the following key, differentiating characteristics:
- Familiar, proven format similar to private sector equity research reports,
- Easy to read and accessible text,
- Best-of-breed methodology leveraging existing research conducted by experts in the subsector and applying a rigorous business-focused approach,
- General and subsector-specific performance and social impact measurement indicators, and
- Actionable investment recommendations targeted for the social impact investor.
Learn more about the package of reports: Overview
Subsector Report
In the Subsector Report, SIR provides the social impact investor with actionable investment advice by detailing critical information about a particular social issue.
Value Components of the Subsector Report:
- Concise overview of the social issue,
- Key funders and trends in capital allocation,
- Analysis of the progress toward establishing indicators for measuring impact,
- Analysis of established, innovative, and sustainable approaches, and
- Clear recommendations for investment strategy.
Benefits to the Social Impact Investor:
This report provides fundamental research on a subsector for those social impact investors who do not perform in-house due diligence. For social impact investors who conduct analysis of organizations, this report provides additional comparison and validation of a chosen investment strategy.
View a prototype: Subsector Report
Benchmark Report
In the Benchmark Report, SIR generally analyzes 8–10 organizations that are using a similar approach to address a particular social issue.
Value Components of the Benchmark Report:
- Overview of the organizations using a similar approach,
- Comparative evaluation of organizational performance based upon general and subsector-specific indicators, and
- Clear recommendation of which organizations would most benefit from investment.
Benefits to the Social Impact Investor:
This report provides social impact investors with a comprehensive comparison of organizations using a similar intervention model to address a social issue, highlighting those which are the most efficient, effective, and sustainable.
View a prototype: Benchmark Report
Organization Report
The organization report analyzes an individual organization featured in the benchmark report through a multifaceted, business-focused approach.
Value Components of the Organization Report:
- Critical review of the administration and management of the organization,
- In-depth description of what the organization does (programs) and what it is achieving (impact),
- Analysis of differentiating key strengths,
- Candid assessment of challenges and how they can be addressed, and
- Recommendations on improvements the organization could make to increase scale and impact.
Benefits to the Social Impact Investor:
This report provides information that social impact investors can use to determine whether the investment opportunity is a good match for their personal interests, where specifically they may be able to add value both with money and in-kind resources, and how an investment may result in increased social impact.
View a prototype: Organization Report
Philanthropic Portfolio Analysis Reports
Similar to tools used by investment managers to advise clients how best to allocate their investments in order to meet their financial goals, this report will enable advisors to analyze the philanthropic investment portfolios of their clients. As financial investment portfolio tools are used to capture client objectives, strategies to meet those objectives, risk analysis and allocation of funds, this report will provide comparable information for social impact investors to review how they currently allocate their philanthropic investments as well as recommendations on they can more effectively manage their portfolio in order to meet their philanthropic objectives.
Advisor Workshops
SIR provides workshops for advisors of social impact investor that discuss how general and sector-specific information can be used to link philanthropic investments to social impact performance. The workshops will discuss trends in philanthropic investing, specific social area issues, and ways to better serve clients.
Conferences
SIR recognizes that its work is an experiment in the early stages of development. Therefore, SIR plans to conduct and participate in conferences and gatherings with various organizations and individuals within the social sector to share lessons learned and discuss the challenges of building a more efficient social capital market.