The Balancing Act: Mission and Fit
At Access Ventures, our mission is at the center of our investment strategy. From that core value system, we make decisions about program-related investments, mission-related investments and strategic partnerships. Furthermore, we seek alternative places to invest that are employing creative strategies to drive positive change in our world. We invest in companies, initiatives and ideas that are creating a more inclusive and creative economy. So what does that look like when constructing our investment portfolio?
More Than Either / Or
Very few decisions people make on a daily basis are “either/or” actions. Most of us are weighing a variety of points, opinions, options, opportunities and ideas constantly. Using all of the information available to us, we then make a choice about what is the right fit for us and for our plan. Investment decisions are no exception to this approach.
Financial strategies are not comprised of binary choices. It’s not about choosing between supporting your values and generating an acceptable return on investment. Rather, it is a balancing act with several factors that are all constantly at play. The Heron Foundation discusses their factors, or considerations, when describing their conscious portfolio construction strategy. Some of those factors include liquidity, risk, return, mission alignment and diversification.
“Financial strategies are not comprised of binary choices.”
The Access Ventures team assesses every opportunity, investment and partnership by first inspecting it for mission alignment, then reviewing it for financial fit. Creating and maintaining a consciously constructed portfolio is a continual, dynamic process. Because our society and economy are constantly changing, so is the information available to us. What we understand as “mission-aligned” and right “financial fit” investments today may change based on new information. It is vital to constantly be assessing and evolving your portfolio to achieve a greater degree of mission-alignment.
It’s Not About Going It Alone
Very seldom does a person get far by being a one-person show. Our society is a function of networks. Since the beginning of human existence, co-action has been vital to progress. Even further, collaboration is essential to change. We believe firmly in the power of partnership at Access Ventures and that belief drives us to seek alternative places to invest that result in strategic partnerships with organizations working to address our society’s most entrenched problems.
We are partnering with experts across the financial landscape to build a more creative and inclusive economy. Our partnership with CapRock Group in particular embodies this belief that greater insight and greater collaboration generate greater impact.
From expanding access to capital to expanding the creative economy, we understand the value of partnering with and investing in financial organizations that serve as effective advocates for our greater mission due to their specialized expertise, expanded reach or innovative approaches. In the coming weeks, we’re going to spotlight our current mission-aligned partners and investments, explore their work and discuss our partnerships and collaboration.
