Panel Discussion at SOCAP24 Conference

Join us at the SOCAP24 Conference in San Francisco on October 30, 2024.  Kachuwa’s Treasurer, Lizette Peña, is participating in a panel discussion about, “Creating the Easy Button for Impact Investors: Streamlining Access to Impactful Financial Models.”

Session Description:

In the realm of innovative financial models, the focus often centers on asset classes rather than the investors' needs. This session aims to shift that focus by activating impact investors with simplified, user-friendly solutions that make impactful investing as seamless as shopping online. Traditional investment portfolios typically include charitable donations, personal loans with modest returns, and higher-return retirement or stock market investments. However, the emerging landscape of alternative finance models offers a chance to reimagine these categories. In this session, speakers will introduce and discuss three transformative financial products: Investment Cooperatives, Community Notes, and Private Guarantee Programs. These models provide the same liquidity and risk profiles as traditional investments while delivering significant social and environmental impact. Discover how these innovative solutions can streamline access to impactful financial models and empower investors to drive meaningful change with ease.

Kachuwa Impact Fund closes $3.1M in its 7th annual stock offering

Boulder, Colorado, October 7, 2024 – Last month, Kachuwa Impact Fund closed its annual fundraise, raising more than $3.1 million in new equity via a private stock offering. Kachuwa Impact Fund is an investment cooperative whereby each investor becomes a member of the cooperative and a co-owner of its impact asset portfolio. Kachuwa Impact Fund has conducted a raise for each of the last seven years, and its 267 co-op members have collectively invested over $23.4M in the cooperative which manages an impact asset portfolio of over $34M of impact real estate, private equity, and private debt investments.

Interview on The Regenerative Real Estate Podcast

On the Regenerative Real Estate Podcast, Neal Collins interviews Blake Jones about Kachuwa Impact Fund. Click here to find the podcast recording, which can also be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Youtube.

Podcast description:

Blake Jones is a founder of several cooperative enterprises, including Namaste Solar and Kachuwa Impact Fund. He’s a pioneer in his marrying of the cooperative model and impact investing. Kachuwa Impact Fund is democratically owned and operated by its members. They invest in companies that have a positive impact on the environment and society, and real estate that does the same—such as organic farms and affordable housing. They invest in Main Street as opposed to Wall Street, and impact is their number one priority with financial return being second.

In this episode, Blake and show host Neal discuss Blake’s journey from working in the oil and gas industry to shifting his interest to renewable energy, and eventually becoming fascinated by the cooperative enterprise model. They dive into the concept of impact cooperative investment funds, discussing how these funds differ from traditional investment models and why they are essential for supporting mission-driven enterprises and real estate. It’s a fairly new concept and Blake shares details of how the fund works in practice—how they vet potential investments and investors, how they approach liquidity and patience, and how members’ voting power is not tied to their investment amount. Blake shares valuable insights from his experience with Kachuwa and other cooperative enterprise, as well as some valuable tips for anyone interested in impact investing cooperatives.