Driving change through impact investing

The report looks at the Foundation’s distinct approach to impact investing, highlighting key focus areas ​for investors and explaining the theory of change that underpins our ​strategy. It ​shares insights on the investment and impact objectives of the strategy, including research findings ​on financial sectors and case studies that illustrate recent investments.

As custodians of an endowment, we endeavour to use all our assets to have the greatest possible positive impact on health and wellbeing. Impact investing adds to our toolkit another means of extending our impact beyond grant-making alone. In sharing our lessons and ongoing journey we hope to serve as an active learner and engaged partner in the impact investing field.

This report is aimed at foundations, endowments and institutional asset owners more broadly that are exploring ways to incorporate impact investing into their investment approach. ​

Key findings

The report’s findings highlight that:

• By ​investing a part of our endowment assets into impact funds, rather than ​using endowment proceeds, we are testing ​ whether all investments can be impact led
• By ​aligning our impact investing strategy with our mission as an urban health foundation, we strive to achieve greater and more meaningful impact by reaching the most vulnerable groups in society and tackling health inequality from all angles
• In ​making impact investments ​through funds, we are not only supporting existing funds to increase their impact but also enabling ​emerging funds to become ​mainstream

We urge others to learn, collaborate and innovate alongside us. For more information or to discuss working together please contact Anita Bhatia.