Investments in Action

Whether we’re engaged in programmatic, research, policy, or communications work, we rely on our investment portfolio to sustain our efforts.

As a foundation, we aim to spend 5% each year, which enables us to exist in perpetuity while doggedly pursuing our vision of a more equitable region. But what about the other 95% of our portfolio? We have a responsibility to grow these assets as effectively as possible, but we also remain committed to using these funds to improve our region in another way – impact investing.

Impact investing is a strategy that allows us to align our financial investments with our mission. By investing in organizations, projects, or funds that generate both financial returns and positive health impacts, we’re able to extend our reach beyond our traditional changemaking tools.

Angela Franks, Board Chairperson, and Kirk D. Mills, President & CEO

As part of this approach, in early 2023, we announced a new type of financial partnership – a $10 million investment in St. Louis Community Credit Union’s (SLCCU) Community Impact Deposit program. Through this collaboration we’re helping break down a long-standing racial wealth divide.

Basic banking and loan services are a key element to social mobility in the U.S., and lack of access is yet another way that Black and Latino Americans have been held back from building wealth for themselves and their descendants. Our funds, along with several others who have joined SLCCU’s work, are enabling a range of consumer loans, payday-loan alternatives, and home loans, as well as a wide variety of business loans from $10,000 to $5 million. 

A recently released mid-year report from SLCCU shows the Community Impact Deposit program in action. Between January and June of 2024, a total of 1,827 loans were issued to consumers and businesses – totaling more than $10 million. Credit issued ranged from $500 unsecured personal loans to real estate loans of more than a million dollars.

Each logo ball represents a SLCCU branch. Seven of SLCCU 's 14 branches are located within the St. Louis Anchor Action Network's targeted geography.

Though SLCCU serves residents and businesses throughout the entire St. Louis metro region, the Community Impact Deposit program focuses on 22 contiguous ZIP codes spanning St. Louis City and county that have been acutely impacted by decades of racial and economic inequity. Since the program’s launch in 2022, SLCCU has aggregated more than $30 million in new deposits to fund affordable auto, home, business, and personal loans in the targeted region.

“Institutional partners like Missouri Foundation for Health are leveraging their balance sheets to make a huge difference in the lives of our borrowers, many of whom are not afforded access to lending options from most financial institutions,” explained Kirk D. Mills, President and CEO at St. Louis Community Credit Union.

“Putting more of our assets to work for our mission just makes sense,” said Mark Seebeck, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer at Missouri Foundation for Health. “Moving forward, we are continuing to seek out new and promising opportunities for impact investing.”

Investments in Action -
St. Louis Community Credit Union

Whether we’re engaged in programmatic, research, policy, or communications work, we rely on our investment portfolio to sustain our efforts.

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