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2025 Impact Investing Institute

When
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Where
Minneapolis, MN
Pricing

$90 MCF member staff, trustees and investment team members | $200 MCF non-member grantmakers

MCF Member and Nonmember Grantmakers

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Impact investing is no longer a side activity of philanthropy. It has become a central function of many foundations that are interested in making a bigger impact with available resources. Join MCF for this day-long conversation about the ins and outs of impact investing.

Designed for impact investors of all stripes – whether you’re just starting your first investment or you’re advanced in the work – this gathering is made for you.

Institute Goals

  • Understand the latest trends and creative approaches to impact investing
  • Learn about many of the better practices, including time-tested and successful strategies for investing
  • Connect and coordinate with peers working in the philanthropic setting 

Institute Agenda

9:30 - 11:00: Registration and Refreshments: If you'll attend the pre-conference session, please arrive before 10:00 a.m. Others may arrive anytime before 11:00 a.m.

10:00 – 10:45: Pre-Conference Learning: This time is designed for newer investors and beginners in the impact investing world. Led by Susan Hammel, CFA, Executive in Residence for Impact Investing, Minnesota Council on Foundations, we will dive-in to conversations that will help you explore your first steps and overcome early hurdles of your impact investing actions. For those attending this session, we ask you to watch this video, Impact Investing 101, before attending the institute.

11:00 – 12:00: Opening Keynote: Investing Tips for Maximum Impact: Join this conversation with nationally recognized speaker and consultant, Vanessa Roanhorse, Chief Executive Officer, Roanhorse Consulting. Vanessa (Diné) co-designs wealth and power-building efforts that directly invest in leaders, support meaningful data collection informed by Indigenous research approaches, and help build thoughtful community-led projects that enforce values that put people at the center. She sits on the boards of Delta Institute, Seven Fires Community, Potlikker Capital and is a governing board member of the Just Transition Integrated Capital Fund. Vanessa is a 2024 Impact Finance Center’s Whose Who in Impact Investing Awardee.

12:00 – 12:45: Luncheon: Impact Theme Conversations: Over lunch, attendees will be invited to sit at tables segmented by investment focus areas. Each group will have conversation starters and plenty of open-space to engage in conversation with organizations working toward similar goals. Take time to get to know your statewide peers, dig-in to questions and opportunities, and learn about the good work happening across Minnesota. 

MCF will send you a pre-event survey to determine the impact theme groupings. Possible themes may include impact conversations focused on: climate, housing, place-based investments, Tribal communities, small businesses, or other themes.

1:00 – 1:45: Workshop: Sourcing and Selection: Every investment opportunity starts with questions around sourcing and selection – finding deals and completing due diligence. Learn tips and tricks for these initial steps in the investment process. Presenters will offer their own insights and will create opportunities for small group conversations. Sophie Forest, Investment Officer, Bush Foundation; Jeff Ochs, CEO, Venn Foundation; and Brendan Wilson, Partner, Faegre Drinker.

2:00 – 2:45: Workshop: Place-Based Investing: Hear from a peer Minnesota-based foundation as they share their learnings about place-based investing. We'll have time to engage in small group conversations as well as whole-group Q&A. Karen Florez, Senior Director of Investments, Minneapolis Foundation; Tuleah Palmer, President, Blandin Foundation; and Patrick Troska, Executive Director, Rooted Philanthropic.

3:00 – 4:00: Closing Keynote: The Future of Impact Investing: This conversation will be led by a national leader who’s helping to shift thinking around philanthropic investments. Stay tunded for our keynote presenter announcement, coming soon.

4:00 – 5:00: Social Hour: Continue the conversation with new peers and old friends. Hosted alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and snacks will be provided. Sponsored by Faegre Drinker.

Reach out to Paul Masiarchin for further details, pmasiarchin@mcf.org. In order to create the best in-person experience, this event will not be simulcast. Learn more here.

Thanks to Our Sponsor

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Faegre Drinker logo

 

 

 

Institute Presenters

Karen Florez
Sophie Forest
Susan Hammel
Jeff Ochs
Tuleah Palmer
Vanessa Roanhorse
Patrick Troska
Brendan Wilson
Ramya Rauf
Tiffany Reeves
Brendan Wilson
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