National Programs

Resources: Community Foundations & Responsible Investing

In 2007, Community Foundations of Canada began working with responsible investment experts to encourage and support the work of its members in the field of responsible investment.

That work has led to an impressive collection of resources, made available here, for those who are interested in learning more about responsible investing from a foundation perspective. Special thanks to our pilot program advisors.

Responsible Investment Primers for Foundations
Responsible Investing: General
Research and Trends
Financial Performance
Fiduciary Issues
Community/Mission Investment
Proxy Voting
Organizations and Websites

Responsible Investment Primers for Foundations

Canada

Education and Training on Responsible Investing for Canadian Foundations and Endowments: An Inventory and Needs Analysis
Betsy Martin and Coro Strandberg for The Social Investment Organization, 2009

Sustainable Investing Handbook for Mission-Based Organizations
Guardian Ethical Management Inc., 2008.

Responsible Investment Toolkit
A toolkit for Pension Funds, Foundations and Endowments, SHARE

Responsible Investment Webinar: An Introduction
Community Foundations of Canada, 2010.

PRIME Toolkit: Primer for Responsible Investment Management of Foundations
Bellagio Forum for Sustainable Development and Eurosif, 2006.

The Value of Environmental, Social and Governance Factors for Foundation Investments
EIRIS Foundation Charity Project, 2009.

Solutions for Impact Investors: From Strategy to Implementation
Steven Godeke and Raúl Pomares, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, 2009

Mission-Related Investing: A Policy and Implementation Guide for Foundation Trustees
Steven Godeke with Doug Bauer, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, 2008.

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Responsible Investing: General

Responsible Investment: Questions for Fund Managers
Coro Strandberg for Community Foundations of Canada, 2010

Best Practices in Responsible Investing for Canadian Pension Funds
Mercers for the Social Investment Organization, 2009

Investing for Impact: A Snapshot of EGA Members' Leveraged Investment Strategies
Environmental Grantmakers Association, 2008.

Helping Charities Invest Responsibly
EIRIS Foundation, 2008.

Mission Investing (MI) Strategy
More for Mission.

Mission Investing Policy
More for Mission.

SRI Components
Strandberg Consulting (available in French or English).

Mission Investing for Small Foundations
Association of Small Foundations (available for purchase for $15).

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Research and Trends

What Capital When?
Blueprint R&D, 2009

Investing for Social and Environmental Impact
the Monitor Group, 2009.

The Future of Socially Responsible Investment
Coro Strandberg, 2005.

Canadian Socially Responsible Investment Review 2008
Social Investment Organization, 2008.

RBC Dexia Special Report - Responsible Investing: Stepping up to the Mainstream
RBC Dexia Investor Services, May 2007.

Investing in Change: Mission-Based Investing for Foundations
Endowments and NGOs, Michael Jantzi Research Associates Inc., 2003.

2006 SRI Institutional Investment Directory
This is a comprehensive directory of Canadian institutional asset managers and investment consultants specializing in responsible investment.

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Financial Performance

Demystifying Responsible Investment Performance: A review of key academic and broker research on ESG factors
The Asset Management Working Group of the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative and Mercer, 2007.

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Fiduciary Issues

Fiduciary Responsibility: Legal and practical aspects of integrating environmental, social and governance issues into institutional investment
The Asset Management Working Group of the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative, 2009.

A Legal Framework for the Integration of Environmental, social and Governance Issues into Institutional Investment
The Asset Management Working Group of the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative, 2005.

The Mission in the Marketplace: How Responsible Investing Can Strengthen the Fiduciary Oversight of Foundation Endowments and Enhance Philanthropic Missions,
Social Investment Forum Foundation, 2007.

Compounding Impact: Mission Investing by US Foundations
Sarah Cooch and Mark Kramer, 2007.

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Community/Mission Investment

Mission Investing for Foundations: The Legal Considerations
W. Laird Hunter, Q.C., Susan Manwaring and Margaret Mason for Community Foundations of Canada and Philanthropic Foundations Canada, 2010

The State of Community/Mission Investment of Canadian Foundations
Coro Strandberg for Community Foundations of Canada and Philanthropic Foundations of Canada, 2010

Equity Advancing Equity: How Community Philanthropy Can Build Racial and Social Equity through Mission Investing Blueprint Research & Design Inc. and GPS Capital Partners LLC, 2009

Money and Mission: Social Enterprise in Calgary
The Calgary Foundation et al, 2009

Current practices and trends in mission investing
More for Mission, 2009

The Social Purpose Capital Marketplace: An Opportunity for the Canadian Charitable Sector,
Coro Strandberg, Tides Canada Foundation, 2007.

Directory of program-related investing skills and strategies for new PRI funders
PRI Makers Network.

Scan of the Community Investment Sector in Canada
Coro Strandberg and Brenda Plant, 2004.

A Case Study – Expanding Philanthropy: Mission-Related Investing at the F.B. Heron Foundation,
Southern New Hampshire University School of Community Economic Development, 2007.

A Toolkit for Foundations and Individual Investors: Harnessing Your Investments to Help Solve the Climate Crisis
Ceres, Investor Network on Climate Risk, Environmental Grantmakers Association, 2008.

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Proxy Voting

2010 Model Proxy Voting Guidelines
SHARE, 2010.

Question and Answers: For Foundations on Proxy Voting
Ceres, 2006.

Related "How To" Guide for Responsible Investment: Pension Fund Trustee Perspective

How to Incorporate Active Trustee Practices into Pension Plan Investment Policies
SHARE, 2002.

Unlocking the Power of the Proxy: How Active Foundation Proxy Voting Can Protect Endowments and Boost Philanthropic Missions
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and As You Sow Foundation, 2004.

A Survey of Canadian Mutual Funds on Proxy Voting, the Social Investment Organization
2007.

Fiduciary Duties, Investment Screening and Economically Targeted Investing: A Flexible Approach for Changing Times
Shareholder Association for Research and Education, 2005.

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Organizations and Websites

General RI

Blended Value

Rockefeller Foundation Impact Investing

North American RI conference: annual event - SRI in the Rockies

SRI World Group, Inc.

Studies in Socially Responsible Investing
This website provides information on the quantitative aspects of RI/SRI, including key research, RI theories and other links.

Canada

SHARE - Shareholder Association for Research & Education

Social Investment Organization (SIO)

Social Investment Forum (US)

Social Investment Forum (UK)