On January 10, 2019, the GoATL Fund (GoATL)—an impact investment fund launched by the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta—announced that it had recently closed a new $1 million investment to Reinvestment Fund to support a diverse portfolio of revitalizing, impactful investments throughout the metro Atlanta, Georgia area.
Focused primarily on revitalizing low-income neighborhoods with historically deprived levels of investment, GoATL’s investment will provide Reinvestment Fund with locally-sourced, flexible capital that will support initiatives in education, food access, the arts and affordable housing.
Since 2014, Reinvestment Fund has invested $30 million throughout greater Atlanta, creating or preserving 200 early childhood education slots, supporting over 1,000 jobs and creating or preserving nearly 300 housing units. GoATL’s investment provides Reinvestment Fund with both cost-effective capital to accelerate their work as well as a connection to a valuable local partner with deep roots in the community
“Our investment will allow Reinvestment Fund to expand local financing options for community centers, grocery stores, health centers, schools and more throughout the Atlanta metro area,” said Mark Crosswell, managing director of social impact strategy for the Community Foundation. “In terms of both geography and impact areas of concern, Reinvestment Fund’s work here aligns very closely with GoATL’s investment goals to support more sustainable and scalable solutions for communities in need.”
During 2018, the GoATL Fund, the first impact investment fund of its kind in Georgia, invested $3.25 million in loans that seek to generate a measurable social outcome along with a financial return. Unlike traditional philanthropy that typically relies on grants, GoATL’s impact investments are structured as flexible, cost-effective loans that are expected to be paid back, thus recycling the dollars to consistently fund new initiatives into the future. Having just wrapped up a successful first year, GoATL’s investments are supporting affordable housing, school renovations, community centers, low income entrepeneurs, energy efficiency improvements and more.
The GoATL Fund invests flexible debt in initiatives that address the Community Foundation’s five Impact Areas: Arts, Community Development, Education, Nonprofit Effefectiveness and Well-being. To create efficiencies and leverage even more capital, GoATL often partners with intermediaries like Reinvestment Fund, and other Community Development Financial Institutions (CFDIs), that have the knowledge and expertise to effectively structure loan capital to support solutions addressing critical needs in our region.
“GoATL’s support for Reinvestment Fund’s local capacity will allow us and our partners to expand lending practices in the Atlanta metro area,” said Christina Szczepanski, managing director for the Southeast with Reinvestment Fund. “We are excited to work with such a well-respected local partner as the Community Foundation and the GoATL Fund which we hope will also inspire others to invest in our work locally.”
Since 1951, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has been connecting the passions of philanthropists with the purposes of nonprofits doing that work. With 67 years serving the 23-county Atlanta region and a robust team of experts, the Community Foundation manages the behind-the-scenes details, empowering our donors to focus on the joy of giving. The Community Foundation is a top-20 community foundation in the U.S., with approximately $1.1 billion in current assets. It’s Georgia’s second-largest foundation.
Launched in 2018, the GoATL Fund provides innovative and flexible capital designed to scale and sustain social solutions of critical importance to our community. Started with an initial allocation of $10 million from the Community Foundation, the GoATL Fund is now open to receive new capital from the Community Foundation’s donor community.
Reinvestment Fund is a catalyst for change and revitalization in low-income communities. They integrate data, policy and strategic investments to improve the quality of life in low-income neighborhoods. Using analytical and financial tools, they bring high-quality grocery stores, affordable housing, schools and health centers to the communities that need better access—creating anchors that attract investment over the long term and help families lead healthier, more productive lives.
Photo courtesy of Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta.