Beyond the Grant: Foundations as Impact Investors

  • May 2026
  • Paper / Report
  • Publisher : Bridgespan
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This report analyzes the evolving role of foundations in impact investing, moving beyond traditional grants to deploy capital that seeks both social impact and financial returns. It explores diverse strategies and challenges foundations encounter in leveraging their resources to scale social innovations. Through case studies, the report illustrates how foundations can catalyze additional investments and drive systemic change, fundamentally transforming philanthropic approaches to funding social impact. It highlights the potential for foundations to foster larger-scale, sustainable social solutions through strategic financial deployment.

Author(s) :

Sridhar Prasad, Ben Morley, Alex McCue, Naomi Eisenberg, Roger Thompson

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Key topics

Innovative Finance/ Blended Finance, Social Justice, Philanthropy and Human Rights

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