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Inching to Impact: The Demand Side of Social Impact Investing

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  • Susan D. Phillips

    (Carleton University)

  • Bernadette Johnson

    (Public Policy, Imagine Canada)

Abstract

Social impact investing (SII) is transforming the availability of private capital for nonprofits and social enterprises, but demand is not yet meeting supply. This paper analyzes the perceived barriers faced by nonprofits in engaging with SII, arguing the need to assess differences using a policy field framework. Four parameters of a subsector are conceptualized as shaping participation in SII: the scale of investment required, embeddedness in place, the need for radical innovation, and the configuration of intermediaries (such as loan funds and market brokers). Based on 25 interviews with leaders of nonprofits and intermediaries in affordable housing and community economic development in Canada, the study finds that significant barriers are a lack of knowledge of the market, inadequate financial literacy, and the challenges of measuring and valuing social impacts. In addition, nonprofits report that, in spite of the inherent importance of social impact in this form of investing, they currently make limited use of evaluation and impact metrics, and perceive that intermediaries and investors, particularly in affordable housing, still put a greater emphasis on financial over social returns.

Suggested Citation

  • Susan D. Phillips & Bernadette Johnson, 2021. "Inching to Impact: The Demand Side of Social Impact Investing," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 168(3), pages 615-629, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:168:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s10551-019-04241-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-019-04241-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Syrus M. Islam, 2022. "Impact investing in social sector organisations: a systematic review and research agenda," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(1), pages 709-737, March.
    3. Irene Bengo & Alice Borrello & Veronica Chiodo, 2021. "Preserving the Integrity of Social Impact Investing: Towards a Distinctive Implementation Strategy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-19, March.
    4. Tania Pereira Christopoulos & Pedro Verga Matos & Rafael Drumond Borges, 2024. "An Ecosystem for Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation: How the State Integrates Actors for Developing Impact Investing in Portugal," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(2), pages 7968-7992, June.
    5. Annebeth Roor & Karen Maas, 2024. "Do impact investors live up to their promise? A systematic literature review on (im)proving investments' impacts," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 3707-3732, May.
    6. Kumari Juddoo & Issam Malki & Sudha Mathew & Sheeja Sivaprasad, 2023. "An impact investment strategy," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 61(1), pages 177-211, July.
    7. Federica Bandini & Helen Chiappini & Francesca Pallara, 2022. "Fund managers acting as impact investors: Strategies, practices, and tensions," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(4), pages 1084-1095, July.
    8. David C. Heinz & Vivek K. Velamuri, 2024. "Intentionality and Decision-Making in Impact Investing—Understanding Investment Motivation and Selection Criteria of Impact Investors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-20, May.
    9. David Aristei & Manuela Gallo, 2021. "Financial Knowledge, Confidence, and Sustainable Financial Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-21, September.
    10. Migliavacca, Milena & Patel, Ritesh & Paltrinieri, Andrea & Goodell, John W., 2022. "Mapping impact investing: A bibliometric analysis," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    11. Deike Schlütter & Lena Schätzlein & Rüdiger Hahn & Carolin Waldner, 2024. "Missing the Impact in Impact Investing Research – A Systematic Review and Critical Reflection of the Literature," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(6), pages 2694-2718, September.
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