Key
Working with our investment advisors, we developed a straightforward framework encompassing the range of tools we use and the impact we seek to realize across our portfolio. It includes five levels with increasingly greater mission alignment and intentional, measurable, and quantifiable impact.
For us, this framework optimizes structure and consistency for asset allocation (or reallocation) and streamlines decisions in a way that evolves with our mission and objectives.
Level 1: Negative ESG Screening
We use “negative screens” on securities or industries to avoid investments that run counter to our mission, including fossil fuels and highly carbon intensive industries that can harm the environment.
Level 2: Positive ESG Screening and Shareholder Engagement
We also use “positive screens” or “tilts” to overweight our portfolio towards certain investments such as clean technology. The large exposure for this part of the portfolio is passive investments or an index-based approach. As shareholders, we take advantage of voting proxies and co-filing corporate resolutions on topics that support our mission.
Level 3: ESG Integration
A significant portion of the portfolio is structured around investment strategies that integrate “environmental, social, and governance” (ESG) factors. For example, in response to a global trend around climate change and resource scarcity, we seek to invest in companies that lower greenhouse gas emissions and increase food production in climate sensitive ways. The exposure for this part of the portfolio is active management, and includes public equities, fixed income, and alternative investments.
Level 4: Thematic/Place-Based Investing
We use “thematic investing” to further focus our portfolio on specific categories that align with our mission, such as sustainable forestry, agriculture, clean tech, equity, inclusion, affordable housing, etc. We also make investments that are “place-based” – deploying capital to the Pacific Northwest region, which is where we do a majority of grant making in fulfillment of our mission.
Level 5: Capacity Building/Program-Related Investments
Our investing strategy allows for smaller “catalytic” investment opportunities that have the potential for outsized environmental or social returns. These investments may be higher risk or might have lower return expectations in the short term; but we consider them to be truly innovative and transformative business models. Included in this bucket are first-time funds, direct investments, and new business models that advance social and environmental goals.
Our Impact Investments
The following is a representative sample of TRFF impact investments as of December 2018.
Each investment falls along our “Spectrum of Impact” levels as defined in the key above.
A sustainable, fossil free fixed income strategy with ESG/low-carbon tilts
$9,182,293
A fossil-free, low-carbon passive mandate that is 80% less carbon intensive than its benchmark, the Russell 3000
$17,971,046
A sustainable, fossil fuel free global equity strategy, UN PRI Signatory
$10,000,000
Clean-tech hedge fund focused on renewables and resource efficiency
$3,244,169
National affordable housing fund focused on transit oriented development and energy efficiency measures
$1,000,000 Commitment
Waste-to-energy, clean tech fund focused on anaerobic digestions
$1,000,000 Commitment
Sustainable and organic agriculture fund focused on farmland on the west coast
$2,000,000 Commitment
Place-based Pacific Northwest sustainable forestry and ecosystem services fund
$2,000,000 Commitment
Inclusive global early stage venture capital/accelerator focused on biosciences, clean tech, sustainable foods
$2,125,000 Commitment
Global Impact Access Partnership
Commingled fund of fund investment vehicle seeking positive social and environmental change alongside financial return
$8,000,000 Commitment
Sustainable real assets and electric vehicle infrastructure fund
Within Global Impact Access Partnership
Sustianble timber and ecosystem services fund
Within Global Impact Access Partnership
A leading provider of pre-construction financing to small and mid-sized clean energy infrastructure (wind and solar) projects and companies.
Within Global Impact Access Partnership
A growth equity specialist that invests in businesses providing high quality financial and healthcare products to underserved communities in Africa and Asia.
Within Global Impact Access Partnership
Place-based land banking strategy for community outcomes
$250,000 Commitment
Place-based revolving CDFI loan fund and trageted Puyallup Septic Loan Fund
$200,000 Commitment
Community bank aligned with B-Corp and Global Alliance for Banking on Values
$337,910
Place-based Credit Union using proceeds to meet the credit needs of underserved families
