Philanthropy Northwest today announced an impact investing collaboration with RBC Global Asset Management (RBC GAM), which will support homeownership, affordable housing and social impact initiatives across communities in the northwest and other designated areas across the U.S.
As part of the collaboration, foundations and grant makers in six northwest states can invest in RBC GAM’s impact investing strategies, within their fixed income allocation, that target the geographic or thematic areas of interest important to their organizations. The program allows organizations to collaborate across the region, supporting affordable housing and community facilities like hospitals and healthcare clinics, as well as small businesses. The grant makers can focus the purchases to specific communities that are important to their missions.
“We are excited to offer this new investment opportunity as a benefit to our members,” says Kiran Ahuja, CEO of Philanthropy Northwest. “RBC GAM’s impact investing strategies offer foundations of all sizes a low-barrier option to expand into impact investing in a way that directly supports their communities.”
Northwest Health Foundation made an initial investment in RBC GAM’s impact investing strategies to kick off the impact collaboration.
“We are pleased to partner with Philanthropy Northwest on a program that supports impact-related investments that will facilitate strong community development,” said Ron Homer, Chief Strategist of US Impact Investing at RBC GAM. “It is exciting to see a growing interest in impact investing by communities across America.”
With this investment, Northwest Health Foundation is looking to support the Oregon communities it serves.
“We were looking for ways to invest locally, but we didn’t want to start a whole new program or underwrite a complicated investment that is unfamiliar to us,” said Jason Hilton, Chief Investment Officer at Northwest Health Foundation. “When the idea of an impact investing collaboration came to our investment committee, our financial advisor, Arnerich Massena, was very positive. The bonus of this investment is that the funds go to work in the communities we serve.”
All Philanthropy Northwest members are eligible to participate in the collaboration under the partnership established with RBC GAM.
For media inquiries contact Karen Westing, Communications Director, 206-443-8466, kwesting@philanthropynw.org
About Philanthropy Northwest: Founded in 1976, Philanthropy Northwest is the region’s largest convener of funders and grant makers in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. Philanthropy Northwest promotes, facilitates, and drives collaborative action by community investors to build resilient, equitable and inclusive communities.
About Northwest Health Foundation: Endowed with the former assets of the nation's first pre-paid health plan, Northwest Health Foundation emerged in 1997 with the mission to advance, support and promote the health of the people in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Since inception, NWHF has granted more than $70 million. After years of giving to healthcare systems, mainstream nonprofits and research institutions, we have evolved. We believe we can make the biggest, longest-term improvements to health by partnering with community-led organizations that focus on changing policies and systems. Learn more at northwesthealth.org.
About RBC Global Asset Management (RBC GAM): RBC Global Asset Management (RBC GAM) is the asset management division of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and includes BlueBay Asset Management and Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management. RBC GAM is a provider of global investment management services and solutions to institutional, high-net-worth and individual investors through separate accounts, pooled funds, mutual funds, hedge funds, exchange-traded funds and specialty investment strategies. The RBC GAM group of companies manage more than $330 billion USD in assets and have approximately 1,400 employees located across Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia.