A multi-donor DAF investing in a just climate transition
About Us
The Collective Climate Justice Fund (CCJF) unlocks donor advised fund capital to invest in the just climate transition. A community of learning and practice, we collectively invest in companies and funds working towards climate justice. We deploy non-extractive capital that meets the movement’s needs rather than prioritizing returns. We seek to shift capital and power and know that by working together, we can move resources more equitably and effectively to build a future where people and the planet thrive.
Meet the Team
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Collective Energy
Renewable energy developer of solar microgrids for Federally Qualified Health Centers in disadvantaged communities
CCJF’s bridge loans to unlock federal and foundation funding; For every dollar we invested, we unlocked 56 foundational dollars.
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Working Power
Project development and financing platform that connects frontline communities with impact investors to help them build power and stability through clean energy solutions
CCJF’s investment fueled projects’ completion
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Invest Appalachia
Regional community investment platform that leverages a blended capital approach to invest in industries and markets that support Central Appalachia; partners with Solar Finance Fund, a financial and technical assistance program for solar project in Appalachia.
Our investment facilitates loans that Community Development Financial Institutions cannot by providing non-extractive terms
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GRID Alternatives
National non-profit that installs clean energy in low-to-moderate income communities in 29 states, partnering specifically with affordable housing providers and nonprofit orgs; and, provides workforce development and training to low-income communities
CCJF investment helps unlock federal dollars.
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Navajo Power
A public benefit corporation developing renewable energy infrastructure on Tribal lands
Our investment is supporting energy resilience for the Native Navajo Nation. The structure of the investment also contributes to the community benefits fund.
Investees
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Collective Energy
Renewable energy developer of solar microgrids for Federally Qualified Health Centers in disadvantaged communities
CCJF’s bridge loans to unlock federal and foundation funding; For every dollar we invested, we unlocked 56 foundational dollars.
-
Working Power
Project development and financing platform that connects frontline communities with impact investors to help them build power and stability through clean energy solutions
What is our investment funding?
CCJF’s investment fueled key projects’ completion.
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Invest Appalachia
Regional community investment platform that leverages a blended capital approach to invest in industries and markets that support Central Appalachia; partners with Solar Finance Fund, a financial and technical assistance program for solar project in Appalachia
What is our investment funding?
Our investment facilitates loans that Community Development Financial Institutions cannot by providing non-extractive terms.
-
GRID Alternatives
National non-profit that installs clean energy in low-to-moderate income communities in 29 states, partnering specifically with affordable housing providers and nonprofit orgs; and, provides workforce development and training to low-income communities
CCJF investment helps unlock federal dollars.
-
Navajo Power
A public benefit corporation developing renewable energy infrastructure on Tribal lands.
What is our investment funding/why is our investment catalytic?
Without the support of the US government’s aid for marginalized communities, our investment is supporting a community that government structures and private companies all too often overlook. The structure of the investment also contributes to the community benefits fund.
FAQs
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A donor advised fund (DAF) holds philanthropic capital that has been given away by an individual. This capital is earmarked for investment towards the common good, for which the donor receives a tax deduction without any expectation of financial return or remaining ownership by the donor.
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Since DAFs contain capital that is no longer “owned” by the donor, are not constrained by market return obligations, and it has a specified intention to do good for society, it is the perfect opportunity to solve the “pioneer investment gap” for early stage social enterprises. DAF money can provide patient, flexible and concessionary capital for these social enterprises that are necessary to reach sustainable development goals.
The Stanford Social Innovation Review found most impact investing firms operate on the basis of traditional venture finance, so most are only investing in software models in fast growing economies to generate higher and faster returns. Thus, there is a “pioneer investment gap” in social enterprises in slow growth economies and solutions that do not scale as rapidly as software solutions.
“It’s time to leverage the intrinsic nature of donor advised funds to enable the 160 billion in assets to be unleashed as catalytic capital even before being granted to nonprofits… to build the world that we want to see beyond the limited one Milton Friedman handed us.” - Tim Freundlich, Founder and Executivetor, Strategic Development of Impact Assets
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According to The Catalytic Capital Consortium, catalytic capital is “patient, risk-tolerant, concessionary, and flexible… to support impact driven enterprises and organizations that lack access to capital on suitable terms through the conventional marketplace… strengthening communities, expanding opportunity and economy growth, and fueling innovation”
Catalytic capital seeks to attract additional investors that otherwise wouldn’t join in, and to spawn innovation in structures that need early support
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As a catalytic fund, we provide patient, risk-tolerant capital with terms that meet investees’ needs rather than prioritizing financial returns.
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The benefits of investing collectively are:
It magnifies each individual’s investing power by bringing resources together to make a greater impact, overcome investment minimums and support larger and more ambitious projects
Fosters a sense of community and expands networks; and
Provides a learning experience to grow alongside diverse perspectives from all over the United States"
Investors have said:
"Meeting a group of people who are so generous with their time and resources and that is really inspiring."
“Any collective work is going to be more powerful than a single person.”
"Power in numbers and community and there is more to share and more energy around it."
Investor
“If this is money you have designed to do good things in the world, while it is waiting it is doing something good... investing your money out is doing something good... you could invest it while you are waiting and it could be doing good now and then you could grant in the future-doing double the good!”
Investor