We produce research products and provide services that enable social impact investors to make better informed choices to invest more confidently in proven solutions to social problems. These products and services can be used directly by the social impact investor or by their advisors to inform philanthropic advice they provide to their clients.
Research Reports
Overview
Our reports offer:
- Familiar format similar to private sector equity research reports
- Information provided in a digestible manner
- Rigorous research methodology that leverages existing research conducted by experts on a social issue
- General and social issue-specific indicators in organizational health, program performance, and social and economic impact
- Actionable investment recommendations targeted for the social impact investor
Our standard research package includes the Social Issue Report and Organization Reports for high-performing organizations addressing that issue. Benchmark Reports can be developed upon client request.
Social Issue Report
In the Social Issue Report, we provide the social impact investor with actionable investment advice by detailing critical information about a particular social issue.
Components:
- Concise overview of the social issue
- Primary and best approaches to address that issue
- Trends in capital allocation
- Potential social return on investment
- Analysis of the social issue within a particular geographic context
- Clear recommendations for investment strategy
Benefits to the Social Impact Investor:
This report provides fundamental research on a social issue 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.
Read our social issue report on School Readiness
Organization Report
Organization reports analyze individual organizations that employ the best approach to a social issue as identified in the social issue report through a multifaceted, data-driven approach.
Components:
- Investment-oriented profile of an organization that highlights unique aspects of its program and provides an actionable investment recommendation
- Evaluation of the organization in terms of its organizational health, program performance, and social and economic impact
- Assessment of challenges the organization may be facing
- Key facts about the population served, including an analysis of the risk level of the program's beneficiaries
Benefits to the Social Impact Investor:
These reports provide 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 with both money and in-kind resources, and how an investment may result in increased social impact.
Read our organization reports on School Readiness
Benchmark Report (Developed for client, as requested)
In the Benchmark Report, we analyze 8–10 organizations that use a similar approach to address a particular social issue. While not part of our standard research package, Benchmark Reports are available to meet specific client needs.
Components:
- Overview of the organizations using a similar approach
- Comparative evaluation of organizational performance based upon general and subsector-specific indicators
- 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.
Philanthropic Portfolio Analysis Reports
Just as financial investment portfolio tools are used to capture client objectives, strategies to meet those objectives, risk analysis and allocation of funds, philanthropic portfolio analysis reports provide comparable information for social impact investors to review how they currently allocate their philanthropic investments as well as recommendations on how they can more effectively manage their portfolio to meet their philanthropic objectives.
Advisor Workshops
We provide workshops for advisors of social impact investors that explore how information can be used to link philanthropic investments to social impact performance. The workshops are tailored to meet advisors' needs. Topics include trends in philanthropic investing, specific social issues and best practices, our research methodology, and ways to better serve clients to meet their philanthropic goals.