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Impact Investing
In 2018, our Board of Directors adopted Economic Mobility and Persistent Poverty as the primary focuses of its work in the community. The Foundation has adopted a holistic definition of economic mobility that goes beyond economic success to include personal autonomy and sense of belonging.
Against this backdrop, the Board voted to allocate $1M to a local impact investing strategy to support its overall goal of creating opportunities for economic mobility in the Chattanooga area. We identified entrepreneurship as a powerful mechanism for wealth creation and mobility. With these values in mind, and together with local partners, we have created the Accelerator Loan Fund and Chattanooga Impact Capital Fund for local entrepreneurs who are Black, Indigenous or People of Color (BIPOC).
Chattanooga is always evolving and so too are the needs of our city.
We're still working to transform generosity into lasting impact.
Chattanooga Impact Capital Fund
Building the success of the Accelerator Loan Fund, the Chattanooga Impact Capital Fund will assist local BIPOC entrepreneurs to scale with larger loans.
We believe our community can build wealth and increase productive capacity in Chattanooga’s communities of color by supporting the growth of local businesses with equitable and inclusive ownership, through intentional impact investments, capital coordination, and strategic technical assistance.
Accelerator Loan Fund
The Accelerator Loan Fund assists the growth and development of successful minority business enterprises in the Chattanooga/Hamilton County community.
In partnership with LAUNCH Chattanooga and Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union, the Accelerator Loan Fund works to provide low-interest rate loans to entrepreneurs of color who would otherwise not have the opportunity to seek such capital. As entrepreneurs go through the loan application process they are exposed to new banking and business relationships. Once approved, they are given an advisor who will walk with them for the next year of their business to provide wisdom, thought leadership, and insight.
Once approved, the entrepreneur is given an advisor who will walk with them for the next year of their business to provide wisdom, thought leadership, and insight. At the end of the loan term, the goal is for each entrepreneur to be able to access new sources of capital from other investors and other financial institutions. The Accelerator Loan Fund Program exists to provide access to capital and to increase social capital and pathways to success.
