BRAC International Microfinance – which provides financial services to ‘bottom-of-the-pyramid’ customers, particularly women living in poverty – set to “grow significantly” and expand into three new countries over the next five years.
PLUS: A first crowdfunded impact bond Israel and a new ‘career impact bond’ for American students; MacArthur Foundation’s catalytic capital investment; new climate fund from Aberdeen Standard and Big Issue Group, and more.
SIBs can be an effective financing mechanism, but they're complex to set up. James Hills of Palladium Group, which designed one of the world’s largest healthcare impact bonds, shares five essential rules to make them work.
PLUS: Social Impact Ventures rebrands and doubles fund size; Save the Children Australia impact fund opens for business; UN’s first outcomes fund; the new $400m 'blank-cheque' sustainability company; and more.
The UK government’s £160m IMPACT Programme helps boost impact investment in emerging markets. As a first batch of grants are announced, the programme's team leader shares three insights that will shape its priorities in the years to come.
Plus: Bridges raises £35m for second social outcomes fund, Palladium's first impact fund targets $40m for African small businesses, Scotland's first community-owned school building and impactful chocolate in Indonesia...
