Impact Investing Guidelines & Procedures

How to apply

• Email an executive summary proposal for your capital request to kmcclendon@greatermilwaukeefoundation.org
• Summary includes: 
• Project/investment scope, budget, capital request, project or business history, proforma, or related financial schedules 
• Describe the desired outcomes of the investment. How will the Greater Milwaukee Foundation investment help move the project or organization forward?
• A meeting will be scheduled to discuss your proposal.
• Meeting invitations will be sent by email.
• Meetings can be in person or virtual.
• Meeting invitations may take up to two weeks after the proposal is submitted. 
• Proposals that align with our impact investing initiatives will move forward in the application, evaluation, and decision processes.
• A loan application will be sent via email after the proposal discussion.

Eligibility:

• Must be in business for two years. 
• Applicants must be a for profit organization (nonprofit rehab or new construction real estate projects will be considered).
• Capital requests must align with the Foundation's  racial equity and inclusion efforts. 
  
• Capital requests must align with the Foundation's investment priorities:
  • Housing
  • Early childhood education
  • Minority-owned Business
• The business or project must be in the greater Milwaukee area 
• Must have limited access to capital from banks or other traditional lenders. 
• General capital requests must be between $250k- $500k per loan application. 

Evaluation criteria for projects**

• Helps address social needs, create jobs, build wealth, and/or expand community driven economic building opportunities. 
• Demonstrated need for the project or program in the community.
• Capacity of the organization to undertake the project.
• Level of coordination and cooperation with other organizations 
• Leveraged capital from other sources.
• Racial/ethnic diversity of the organization
• The positive impact in low-to moderate-income neighborhoods 

** Be prepared to discuss in further detail