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Building an Ownership Movement to Close Racial Wealth Gaps
Smitha Das & Santhosh Ramdoss |
Ownership is a key driver of wealth creation, yet many individuals and communities lack access to these opportunities. This ImpactAlpha article, co-authored by Smitha Das, Senior Director of Investments, WES, and Santhosh Ramdoss, President & CEO, Gary Community Ventures, explores emerging investment strategies, such as employee ownership, homeownership, and community wealth building. These approaches have […]
WES Mariam Assefa Fund Announces New Impact Investments to Unlock Homeownership for Underserved, Black Communities
WES |
The World Education Services (WES) Mariam Assefa Fund today announced two new impact investments totaling US$750,000 in Blackstar Stability and the Dearfield Fund for Black Wealth, both of which leverage homeownership as a tool to help Black and underserved communities build generational assets and bridge the racial wealth gap. Homeownership is key to building […]
Six trust-based practices to help investors shift power to communities
Smitha Das |
Advancing equity and impact requires rethinking how we invest. In this ImpactAlpha article, Smitha Das, WES’ Senior Director of Investments, shares six trust-based investment practices that shift power to investee partners and communities. From redefining risk to leveraging participatory investment models, these practices help create a more equitable and just economy.
Tips for Funders Beginning Their Participatory Investing Journey
Smitha Das and Katheryn Witt |
This piece is co-authored by Smitha Das and Katheryn Witt and is the result of a partnership between the WES Mariam Assefa Fund and Common Future. In March 2022, Common Future launched the Action Lab: Participatory Investing, a partnership with the WES Mariam Assefa Fund. The Action Lab is a 12-month initiative in which funders are learning […]
How the IRC’s Center for Economic Opportunity Is Making Finance More Inclusive
WES |
Charles, a client of IRC’s Center for Economic Opportunity. Photo courtesy of IRC-CEO. Access to banking and financial services enables economic mobility. However, many refugees and immigrants in the United States face barriers to affordable financing, especially when they are new to the country and haven’t yet established their credit history. Improving financial access and […]
Fund Announces First Impact Investments to Support the Success of Immigrant and Refugee Workers
NEW YORK — (Dec. 15, 2020) — The WES Mariam Assefa Fund today announced impact investments of $750,000 to ensure that immigrants and refugees in the United States have access to the tools and capital they need to acquire digital and other job-related skills, establish credit, increase their earning potential, and start businesses of their […]
Inclusive Action for the City Discusses Lending in a Pandemic
WES |
By Maribel Garcia + Andrea Avila, Inclusive Action for the City This piece originally appeared on Inclusive Action’s website on November 18, 2020 and is cross posted here with permission. Inclusive Action is a grantee partner of the WES Mariam Assefa Fund. It’s hard to lend in a pandemic, especially when lending to entrepreneurs from […]
Opportunity Challenge Spotlight Video: Financial Access & Inclusion
WES |
In early March, the Opportunity Challenge, a joint grantmaking initiative of the WES Mariam Assefa Fund and the Tarsadia Foundation, sought to identify solutions to create an inclusive economy in the U.S.—one that addresses the supports that immigrants need to achieve economic mobility. In September, we were thrilled to announce the 12 awardees of the Opportunity Challenge, chosen out of an applicant pool of 470 organizations. […]