How impact investments can support economic development, community change, and corporate purpose: A commentary by Hallie Bradley and Allison Swagler

It is still relatively uncommon for corporate foundations in the United States to make impact investments, despite the fast growth of investments in sustainable strategies. At Alabama Power Foundation, the corporate foundation of Alabama’s largest public utility, we seek to use our experience to demonstrate how impact investments, in addition to grants, can accelerate economic development, deepen positive community change, and align with corporate purpose.

Our own impact investing journey began with a challenge from the foundation’s leadership in 2017 to partner with Alabama Power’s economic development team and develop charitable strategies that grow the tech sector’s workforce pipelines. That initial challenge sparked a transformative initiative to align the foundation’s social impact aims with the utility’s core knowledge of community needs, economic development, and local leadership....

Read the full commentary by Hallie Bradley and Allison Swagler, strategic initiatives manager and charitable giving specialist, respectively, of Alabama Power Foundation.

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