Local Investment for
Local Change
A new way to invest in community power.
McFadden Finch Foundation’s Impact Notes offer individuals and institutions the opportunity to invest directly in grassroots progress across the San Francisco Bay Area. It’s simple: you invest capital with us, and we put it to work—supporting small businesses, cultural hubs, affordable housing, and nonprofits that strengthen our neighborhoods.
Your investment generates social returns from day one and financial returns over time.
What Is an Impact Note?
An Impact Note is a community investment tool that allows funders, donors, and mission-aligned investors to make low-interest loans to MFF. We pool these funds to expand lending and grantmaking across Oakland and the greater Bay Area.
Key Features:
- Minimum investment: $25,000
- Terms: 3–7 years
- Interest: Fixed, below-market return (or zero-interest if preferred)
- Use of funds: Community lending, capacity building, cultural investment, neighborhood development
We report back annually on how every dollar was deployed—and who it helped.
Why Invest This Way?
Because philanthropy alone isn’t enough. Impact Notes unlock new capital for:
- BIPOC-owned small businesses shut out of traditional financing
- Nonprofits in need of working capital or facility upgrades
- Community-led housing and real estate projects
- Local arts and cultural initiatives with deep neighborhood roots
These projects need flexible, affordable funding to grow. Your investment fills the gap.
Who It’s For
We welcome:
- Individuals looking to align their capital with their values
- Family foundations and donor-advised funds
- Faith-based institutions and impact-minded wealth holders
- Local businesses seeking to reinvest in their community
Whether you’re redirecting a portion of your portfolio or placing long-term capital in service of justice, our team works with you to tailor the right approach.
How to Get Started
- Talk with our teamto explore your goals and options
- Choose your note amount, term, and interest preference
- Review and sign the agreement
- Receive annual reports and updateson the impact of your investment
Local Dollars. Local Decisions. Lasting Impact.
Your investment doesn’t sit on the sidelines. It helps fund:
- A youth-led media collective in East Oakland
- A legacy Black-owned bookstore is renovating its space
- A community health clinic expanding into a new site
- A public art initiative reclaiming vacant lots for joy and culture
This is what reinvestment looks like. Let’s build it together.