Exploring the Systemic Impact of Investing in Women- and People of Color-owned Businesses: A Multiple Case Study Approach

Principal Investigator: Jessica Thomas

Sponsor: The Ford Foundation

Award Period: 8/1/2018 - 7/31/2019

Amount: $75,000

Description: The project, a collaboration between LIFT Economy and the NC State Poole College of Management, provides a unique opportunity to utilize the investment portfolio of the $1M Force for Good Fund (a new fund that LIFT Economy helped launch) to study the systemic impact of investing in place-based, women, and people of color-owned social ventures. The geographic focus of the fund includes ventures from across the United States as well as one from Haiti. The project seeks specifically to study ventures that are led by women and people of color.