About Us

Pairing capital with a supporting community

RSF has been an innovator in social finance for over 30 years. Since 1984, we have focused on developing innovative social finance tools that serve the unmet needs for investors, donors and social enterprises. We have also cultivated long-term partnerships with a variety of pioneering organizations – through board engagements, advisory positions, joint ventures, event sponsorship, and other affiliations – in pursuit of building the field of social finance.

Below are some examples of how we’ve worked with our community to build the field.

Local Economy Foundation Circle

In 2014, RSF Social Finance and the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE), with advisory support from Mission Investors Exchange and The Democracy Collaborative, launched the Local Economy Foundation Circle (LEFC), a unique group of place-based private, community, and health foundation innovators who are pioneering values-driven local community investment in their respective regions.

The first LEFC cohort met four times over an 18-month period, the last of which happened in March 2016. The invitational LEFC was comprised of 13 community foundation leaders from across North America, working to align more than $4.5 billion in collective investment assets with their missions. Circle members use this community to advance their personal effectiveness in overcoming barriers to place-based impact investment, to share with and support one another, to learn from domain experts and to intentionally create new knowledge and practices. Members of LEFC also hold a commitment to advance the larger field and to make their resources and knowledge available to others doing related work. As part of this circle, members commit to advancing their work in tangible ways and will showcase their progress in shifting their foundation’s investment practices.

Related articles here.

The B Corp Movement

RSF has played a central role in the development of B Lab, the nonprofit organization responsible for certifying B Corporations, which meet rigorous governance, social and ecological performance standards. RSF is a core supporter, having provided funding and board advisory support over the past several years. As far as we know, we’re the only financial services organization that requires borrowers to take the B Impact Assessment survey. We utilize it as a tool to help track and improve impact.

Learn more about B Corps

Join the RSF community

Invest your values

RSF offers an easy way to invest in what’s important to you. Start your fund today with $1,000.

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Open a giving account

With a Donor Advised Fund, you can give when the timing is right for you and be part of an active community of donors and partners who share your passions.

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Get funding

If you’re an entrepreneur creating social or ecological change, apply for a loan to help you further your mission.

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News From RSF

Mar 18 2024 Regenerative finance helps Living Lands Trust expand biodynamic farming

Mar 12 2024 RSF Social Finance Selected to the ImpactAssets 50 2024 as an Emeritus Impact Manager

Feb 6 2024 Q&A with Amir Kirkwood: Growing the Social Investment Fund’s Impact