Private Capital for Public Purpose: Impact Investing and Its Siblings

This module will introduce and critically analyze efforts to direct private sector financial investments to public purpose. These efforts-falling under the headings of impact, responsible, mission, social, and sustainable investing-looks for ways to maximize the social utility of private investment. We will examine the: 1) types of investors engaged in these efforts (e.g. individuals, pension funds, endowments, foundations); 2) social goals they hope to achieve through their investments; 3) investment strategies and vehicles through which they hope to achieve these goals; 4) intersections of impact investing and public policy; 5) ways that stakeholders assess the impact of these investments. The class will balance U.S. domestic and global examples of investment, policymaking, and advocacy.