Impact Investing
Catalyzing 100% Of Our Balance Sheet
Overview
At the Cordes Foundation, we are dedicated to creating a more equitable and sustainable world by deploying 100% of our balance sheet toward transformative impact investments. Our mission is to empower visionary social entrepreneurs and innovative enterprises that champion economic inclusion, environmental stewardship, and social equity across the globe.
A cornerstone of our strategy is gender lens investing, a holistic approach that recognizes the pivotal role of gender equity in driving meaningful progress across all impact areas. Advancing gender equity could add $12 trillion to global GDP by 2025 (McKinsey Global Institute), and women reinvest 90% of their income into families and communities, amplifying the ripple effects of economic empowerment (UN Women).
Through this lens, our portfolio reflects a commitment to:
Expanding access to affordable housing to address the global shortfall affecting 1.6 billion people (McKinsey Global Institute), while creating economic multiplier effects that generate 1.5 jobs for every unit of housing built or renovated (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development).
Strengthening financial inclusion to close the $5 trillion financing gap for women-owned small businesses (International Finance Corporation) and empower the 1.4 billion unbanked adults globally (World Bank Global Findex), enabling economic resilience and opportunity.
Driving sustainable growth in frontier and global markets, which are expected to contribute 40% of global GDP growth by 2030 (International Monetary Fund), by backing enterprises that prioritize gender equity and ethical practices.
Enhancing sustainable supply chains and ethical fashion to transform an industry that contributes 8–10% of global carbon emissions (UNFCCC), while improving conditions for the 75 million garment workers—most of them women—globally (International Labour Organization).
Scaling renewable energy solutions to help bridge the $4 trillion annual investment gap required to achieve net-zero emissions (International Energy Agency) and expand energy access to the 759 million people still living without electricity (IEA and World Bank).
Our investments span diverse sectors, including renewable energy infrastructure, affordable housing, sustainable financial products, and mission-aligned ventures that prioritize gender equity as a catalyst for systemic change.
By integrating a gender lens across all aspects of impact investing and focusing on these critical issues, we aim to amplify the voices of women and underserved communities, redefine sustainable investing, and contribute to a world where opportunity and prosperity are accessible to all.
Impact Investments
Working with local financing partners, AGC provides fair access to capital for small businesses in underserved communities worldwide so they have the credit they need to build their business.
Better Ventures backs startups leveraging science & technology to build the better economy, where people and the planet flourish.
Ethic developed a custom public equity impact strategy for the Cordes Foundation which seeks to address the challenges and opportunities associated with Women's Rights, Poverty, and Human Rights.
An independent fiduciary, Align Impact advises individual clients, family offices, foundations and endowments, all in the service of integrating impact investments into the broader wealth management strategy.
CIM provides strategic debt capital to demonstrate and scale responsible innovation in lending for underserved communities.
Generate builds, finances, owns and operates sustainable infrastructure to deliver affordable and reliable resource solutions for companies, governments, and communities.
Avanath acquires Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) properties in high growth submarkets and preserves affordability through the extension of LIHTC or negotiation of new tax benefits at the state or local level.
Closed Loop Ventures deploys early-stage capital into companies developing breakthrough solutions for the circular economy.
Greenbacker finances the expansion of clean energy production capacity in the United States by directing capital towards construction and operational management of solar and wind projects.
Kimpact purchases and preserves LIHTC buildings nearing the end of their tax credit syndication period and tenant based rental assistance (TBRA)/project based rental assistance (PBRA) Section 8 properties.
Lumni finances university students through income share agreements so they can finish their studies.
MCE provides flexible capital to enterprises committed to generating sustainable livelihoods in emerging markets–with a focus on women and the environment–to allow these enterprises to scale and better serve their customers, their employees and their communities.
MicroVest specializes in allocating private debt capital to micro and SME financial institutions in frontier and emerging markets.
New Energy Capital is a private investment firm that focuses on clean energy and infrastructure assets across the capital structures.
Rebalance invests in FinTech and WorkforceTech companies that are B2B marketplaces or distribute via B2B2C, empowering great leaders that enable financial security and career success for low and middle income Americans
The Rise Funds invest behind impact entrepreneurs and growth-stage, high potential, mission-driven companies that are focused on achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.
Sarona invests in mid-market companies in partnership with local private equity firms across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe delivering strong financial returns while advancing key impact themes—decent work, gender equality, and climate action.
WWB Capital Partners deploys a gender lens investing strategy targeting women-focused financial institutions in emerging markets.
Rose creates and preserves affordable multifamily housing; implements practical green strategies to reduce costs and increase efficiency; and increases opportunity for its residents through social and educational services.
StoneCastle’s FICA Impact program is allocating deposits to the banks within StoneCastle’s network that have CRA scores of 1 or 2, targeting banks most likely to lend money to local small businesses and other community members.
Zeal Capital Partners invests in diverse management teams who are reimagining the building blocks of wealth
Quona Capital is a global venture firm focused on inclusive fintech.
Vision Ridge is a sustainable real assets investor that seeks to capitalize on the global transition to sustainability by identifying, developing, and transforming complex assets across energy, transportation, and agriculture.
Actis operates as General Atlantic’s sustainable infrastructure business.
Ambit Pragma Advisors is an India-dedicated Private Equity fund that provides growth capital to small & medium enterprises.
Creador is a leading private equity firm in South and Southeast Asia, focused on investing in growth companies
AfricInvest is committed to investing in growing African small and midsized companies
Apis’ funds invest primarily in high-growth, capital-light and tech-enabled financial services companies across global markets.
DGF invests venture capital in software enterprises across Brazil and Latin America.
Alta Growth Capital is a private equity fund that invests in middle-market companies operating in Mexico and Latin America.
Berekely Energy develops, builds, and operates clean energy projects in emerging markets.
Fanisi was founded by the Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries (Norfund) and Amani Capital, to fill the early-stage investing gap in East African.
GEF invests in high-growth clean energy, energy and resource efficiency, environmental, and sustainable natural resource management industries throughout the world.
Ignia invests in global, early-stage startups striving to solve fundamental pain points in emerging markets.
Kandeo is focused on building a diversified portfolio of mid-market growth-stage companies operating in the financial services industry in Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.
Mediterrania is a private equity firm focusing on growth investments in African SMEs and Mid-Cap companies.
Mekong Capital is a Vietnam-focused private equity firm, specializing in consumer driven businesses.
Metier is a South Africa-based fund manager focusing on growth equity investments in the lower mid-market.
Oria Capital is a Sao Paulo-based private equity firm focusing on the IT sector.
RMBV promotes sustainable job creation and expand choices for low to middle-income consumers, fostering more inclusive growth and access to quality products and services in Egypt and North Africa.
Verod is a Nigeria-based fund manager investing in small to mid-market growth companies across a range of sectors – including consumer products, services, manufacturing and agribusiness – based on an import-substitution investment thesis.
Pera is an private equity firm focusing on mid-market opportunities in Turkey.
Utilizing an ESG+ investment approach, SEAF provides growth capital and operational support SMEs in emerging markets to build climate resilience, food security, and inclusion.
Proventeus is a South East Asia focused control buyout private equity manager specialising in high growth small and mid-size companies.
VenturEast is an Indian private equity firm investing in companies at different stages of their development, in sectors such as agribusiness, healthcare and life sciences.