Skip to Content

Bridging the Gap Report

Research commissioned by the Chicago Community Trust and the MacArthur Foundation, compiled in the report Bridging the Gap, revealed an unmet need for between $100 and $400 million of capital in the Chicago area.

At the same time, the research identified a growing number of individuals looking for simpler ways to make local investments with the potential to deliver meaningful economic, social, and environmental impact.

What is Place-Based Investing?

The Global Impact Investing Network defines impact investing as “investments made into companies, organizations, and funds with the intention to generate social and environmental impact alongside a financial return.” Impact investments can be made in both emerging and developed markets, and target a range of returns from below-market to market rate, depending on investors’ strategic goals.

Learn More About Place-Based Impact Investing

The Equity Gap for Entrepreneurs of Color

Benefit Chicago is designed to allow everyone — individuals, businesses, and institutions — to help make a positive impact in their community.

Calvert Impact Capital is issuing up to $50 million of its Chicago-targeted Community Investment Notes® to further the mission of Benefit Chicago.

The Notes are available directly through Calvert Impact Capital, through more than 100 brokerage firms nationwide, and as a standing option for eligible donor-advised funds at The Chicago Community Trust.

The Chicago Community Trust has made an inaugural $15 million, 15-year investment, which, along with all other investments in Chicago-targeted Notes, will flow to our region’s social sector as follows:

  • Calvert Impact Capital will loan the proceeds of all investors’ Chicago-targeted Notes to a new charitable fund that the MacArthur Foundation has established solely to advance the mission of Benefit Chicago.
  • The MacArthur Foundation has invested $50 million of its own assets to this new special-purpose fund, creating a combined pool of capital – with a total goal of $100 million.
  • The fund is using this pool of capital to make patient, flexible, affordable risk-tolerant loans and other investments in impact enterprises to achieve positive, sustained impact for underinvested communities and the individuals who live there.

Investors who wish to participate in Benefit Chicago can purchase Chicago-targeted Community Investment Notes through Calvert Impact Capital. This fixed-income instrument offers principal maturities ranging from one to 15 years, with interest payable annually.

Making Your Investment

Information for individuals, businesses, or institutions interested in purchasing a Chicago-targeted Note is available on our Invest page.

Learn More About The Equity Gap for Entrepreneurs of Color