BlackRock Launches Impact U.S. Equity Fund

The Impact Economy is booming—and another major player has entered the Impact investing space.

BlackRock, Inc. announced it will launch the BlackRock Impact U.S. Equity Fund, which will invest in companies that produce “social and environmental outcomes while seeking to generate competitive financial returns.”

The BlackRock Impact U.S. Equity Fund will trade under the ticker BIRAX.

Goldman Sachs Sees Return With Social Impact Bond

The argument for Social Impact Bonds got a lot stronger last week when Goldman Sachs announced it earned $267,000 while funding a program designed to reduce the number of children needing special education services after preschool. Reuters has the full story.

This is exciting news for those of us in the Impact Economy. We’ve already seen how traditional private investment can be successful in the Impact Economy but with this project Goldman Sachs, United Way of Salt Lake, and Salt Lake City have shown that more complex multi-party investment programs can also achieve meaningful outcomes. Not to mention the possibilities it opens for similar pay for success impact models.