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.
CIM provides strategic debt capital to demonstrate and scale responsible innovation in lending for underserved communities.
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.
Closed Loop Ventures deploys early-stage capital into companies developing breakthrough solutions for the circular economy.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
WWB Capital Partners deploys a gender lens investing strategy targeting women-focused financial institutions in emerging markets.