MacArthur is increasing the pool of capital dedicated to impact investments to extend the reach of our programs, advance our mission, and expand the flow of impact investments globally.
Today, we announced that we are expanding our allocation for impact investments by 50 percent, increasing this pool of capital to $750 million. Consistent with MacArthur’s longstanding approach, we will use this capital over the coming years to make impact investments that support the Foundation’s programs, advance our mission, and continue to build the field of impact investing globally. As investments are repaid, we will redeploy the capital through new investments to further increase our impact.
“Expanding our impact investing lets us make more meaningful progress against the challenges facing our world,” said MacArthur Foundation President John Palfrey. “Impact investments are an important way we can advance our mission, alongside our charitable giving and our values-aligned endowment investment portfolios.”
Since 1983, MacArthur has committed nearly $1 billion in impact investments to support the charitable purposes and mission-related work of approximately 300 organizations around the world. Collectively, these organizations have delivered positive results across a range of challenges: expanding access to capital, increasing economic opportunity and job creation, supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses, strengthening communities, and meeting critical needs for affordable housing, clean energy, health, education, and more.
“Expanding our impact investing lets us make more meaningful progress against the challenges facing our world.”
In addition to increasing our allocation for impact investments, which we will begin implementing in 2027, we recently extended our “Set it at Six” commitment, increasing our grantmaking and charitable payout to at least 6 percent through 2028. At the same time, within our endowment, we continue to expand a portfolio of sustainable investments with the potential to generate both strong risk-adjusted returns and positive environmental benefits. Combined, these commitments strengthen the alignment of our assets with the Foundation’s mission and values.
“By stepping up our impact investments, as well as grantmaking, and sustainable investing, we can do more for people and places around the world, and for the planet itself,” said Debra Schwartz, MacArthur’s Managing Director for Impact Investments. “In the years ahead, we look forward to expanding our work and mobilizing greater investment through collaboration with the growing field of foundations, families, and others who deploy their assets across the full continuum of capital.”
