On September 16th, Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia, ImpactPHL and Mission Investors Exchange convened foundations, advisors, and partners to explore how mission-aligned investing can take deeper root in our region. The conversation underscored that this work is both urgent and achievable when done collectively.
The event opened with a national perspective from Mission Investors Exchange, which described how foundations across the country are shifting more of their assets—not only their grant dollars—toward mission. What emerged was a picture of philanthropy evolving: moving from a narrow focus on annual giving to a holistic approach that treats endowment resources and influence as levers for social impact.
Against this backdrop, the conversation turned local. Through Philanthropy Network’s Mission-Aligned Investing Cohort program, designed in partnership with Andorra, a group of 17 small and mid-sized foundations in Greater Philadelphia embarked on their mission-aligned investing journey to understand how their endowment could be leveraged to better support the Philadelphia region. Ty Thiele (CEO of Andorra), leaned on data and foundation stories to provide an overview of the collective learning and action that took place during Philanthropy Network’s mission-aligned investing programs. Although most foundations were just starting their mission-aligned investing journey, the results were significant.
- 12 of the 17 participating foundations made local impact investments during the programs, including 6 foundations that made their very first mission-aligned investment into the Philadelphia region.
- Together, foundations invested a total of $90M during the programs, including $11M directly into the Philadelphia region.
- 13 of the 17 participating foundations made new, formal commitments to mission-aligned investing and the Philadelphia region, including 10 foundations who are ‘all-in’, committing 100% of their endowment to mission-aligned investing strategies.
These commitments and investments represent cultural shifts. As several speakers emphasized, mission-aligned investing work requires boards and staff to evolve together, building trust, transparency, and shared commitment to move capital differently.
Spotlight Stories: Foundations Leading the Way
Three foundations shared their mission-aligned investing journey at the event.
- Danielle Scott from The Pincus Family Foundation reflected on their journey and provided insights for generating buy-in and shifting culture, especially for foundations just starting their mission-aligned investing journey.
- Chris Capato from Independence Public Media Foundation walked through key stages of their mission-aligned investing journey, resulting in the largest commitment to mission-aligned investing in the Philadelphia region.
- Mindy Aldridge from The Nelson Foundation stressed the importance of peer relationships and collaboration when moving this work forward and highlighting the impact these foundations can have when making group investments.
All three foundations revealed the impact of mission-aligned investing and the ripple effect it has in the region.
ImpactPHL then reflected on their contribution to the impact investing space – by convening investors, hosting programs, and connecting capital to local opportunities -- ImpactPHL continues to strengthen the region’s impact investing infrastructure. Its work ensures that mission-aligned investing is not just happening within foundations but is part of a broader marketplace where private capital and community priorities intersect.
The facilitator Nick Ashburn, surfaced several insights for the path forward:
- Culture and practice evolve together. Investment decisions succeed when they are rooted in institutional values and shared vision.
- Peer learning accelerates action. Cohort members noted that transparency, shared problem-solving, and one-on-one coaching were pivotal for moving from intention to action.
- Ecosystem connections are critical. Local progress is strengthened by ties to national conversations, shared frameworks, and collaborative infrastructure.
As the convening closed, participants reflected that no single institution can do this work alone. Mission-aligned investing requires collective commitment and structures that make participation accessible to institutions of all sizes.
Continuing the Work: The Mission-Aligned Investing Collective
The September 16th convening was not the end of the conversation but a waypoint in an ongoing journey. Building on the successes of the Cohort, Philanthropy Network and Andorra launched the Mission-Aligned Investing Collective in 2024. Unlike the time-limited cohort, the Collective is an ongoing platform where foundations collaborate to share knowledge and resources to steward more capital into the Philadelphia region.
Through the Collective, participants will:
- Share updates on how their portfolios and policies are evolving.
- Access peer learning and technical support to address emerging challenges.
- Explore opportunities for co-investment and collaboration across the region.
What started off as a mission-aligned investing cohort program has now become a group of champion foundations that use all their resources to drive positive change in their communities. It also ensures that mission-aligned investing in Greater Philadelphia is not just a buzz word, but a growing movement. Alongside ImpactPHL’s continued work to build connections between investors and opportunities, the Collective offers a trusted space for foundations to align their capital with mission and values over the long term.
Philanthropy Network’s role is to hold the space, foster the relationships, and connect local actors with national expertise—ensuring that momentum builds over time and more capital is working in service of equity, resilience, and community well-being across the region.
The MAI Collective is more than just the next phase of the Cohort—it’s setting a new standard for mission-aligned investing in our region. We're achieving this through peer learning, active collaboration, shared action, and a commitment to mutual accountability.
We’ll reconvene this fall to reflect on what’s been built, what’s been learned, and where we go next. Until then, this spring’s working group sessions are helping us learn what’s possible when we invest in shared infrastructure—and in each other.
We’re also excited to partner with ImpactPHL and Lunch with Barra to help surface investable, mission-aligned opportunities in the region. ImpactPHL curates a regular newsletter highlighting deals and hosts events focused on impact investing—including the recent Total Impact Summit. The Lunch with Barra series, open to all, offers a platform for organizations to share opportunities that align with local values and community needs. Together, these efforts complement the work of the Collective and provide actionable pathways for those ready to invest locally.
Stay tuned, stay engaged, and please join us at one of the upcoming sessions.
Let’s keep building.
~ Andorra and Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia