Blog and News
Public Policy and Investments in Good Quality Jobs
Despite years of economic growth and a declining unemployment rate, the economy – from the perspective of many Americans – is far from healthy. For decades, wages for everyone but the top quintile of earners have remained stagnant or declined, while Americans’ participation in the workforce is at its lowest level in nearly forty years. […]
May 04, 2017 – Blog and News • Good Jobs • Impact Consulting •
Invest Northwest Ten Year Performance Review
We are pleased to share our latest report: Invest Northwest: Ten-Year Final Performance Review. For ten years Pacific Community Ventures has worked with the Northwest Area Foundation (NWAF) and the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF) to annually evaluate the social performance of Invest Northwest, a place-based mission-related private equity fund. Invest Northwest was created in 2004 […]
Feb 03, 2017 – Blog and News • Impact Consulting • Impact Investing •
Catalog of Economically Targeted Investments by Pension Funds
In October of 2015, the Department of Labor released new guidance on the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). This reaffirmed that pension funds — holders of $20+ trillion in capital — could pursue economically-targeted investments (ETIs). These kinds of investments let pension funds put their capital to work in ways that not only generate […]
Oct 21, 2016 – Blog and News • Impact Consulting • Impact Investing •
California Organized Investment Network Report
Despite the increasing size and sophistication of community financial development institutions (CDFIs) like PCV — as well as the broader impact investing industry — accessing capital from institutional investors like insurance companies remains exceptionally difficult for most CDFIs and other investors seeking financial returns in addition to positive social or environmental impact. Raising institutional capital can be challenging […]
Jul 06, 2016 – Blog and News • Impact Consulting • Impact Investing •
Examining the Development and Implementation of California FreshWorks
This case study examines the development and implementation of the California FreshWorks program, a $273 million healthy food financing initiative launched in July 2011 by a broad coalition of public and private partners led by the California Endowment. As part of an evaluation team commissioned by the California Endowment, PCV InSight and the Sarah Samuels […]
Jun 15, 2016 – Blog and News • Impact Consulting • Impact Investing •
California FreshWorks Food Access Report
This report evaluates the changes in community food access as a result of the California FreshWorks program, a $273 million healthy food financing initiative launched in July 2011 by a broad coalition of public and private partners led by the California Endowment. The report examines three FreshWorks-funded Northgate González grocery stores that received New Markets […]
Jun 15, 2016 – Blog and News • Impact Consulting • Impact Investing •
The Social and Economic Impacts of California FreshWorks
This report examines the social and economic impacts of the California FreshWorks program, a $273 million healthy food financing initiative launched in July 2011 by a broad coalition of public and private partners led by the California Endowment. The evaluation of social and economic impacts focuses on three FreshWorks-funded Northgate González grocery stores that received […]
Jun 15, 2016 – Blog and News • Impact Consulting • Impact Investing •
California Initiative 2015 Report
The eleventh annual report examining CalPERS’ California Initiative, a $1 billion private equity, economically targeted investment (ETI). The California Initiative seeks to invest in companies located in traditionally underserved markets, primarily, but not exclusively, located in California. The California Initiative’s primary objective is to generate attractive financial returns, meeting or exceeding private equity benchmarks. As an […]
Jun 13, 2016 – Blog and News • Impact Consulting • Impact Investing •
CalPERS For California 2015 Report
The sixth annual report documenting the California Public Employees Retirement System’s $27.8 billion of investments in California as of June 30, 2015. The report provides an examination of the broad ancillary benefits of all CalPERS investments in California across the asset classes of public equity, fixed income, private equity, real estate, and infrastructure. CalPERS is the […]
Jun 13, 2016 – Blog and News • Impact Consulting • Impact Investing •
Aligning Capital With Mission
We are pleased to share with you our latest report, Aligning Capital with Mission: Lessons from the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Social Investment Program. The Annie E. Casey Foundation, a private foundation dedicated to improving the lives of America’s children and families, engaged InSight at Pacific Community Ventures — with research support from The Center […]
May 05, 2016 – Blog and News • Impact Consulting • Impact Investing •
Our 2015 Social Impact
While our economy is thriving on paper, most of us know that isn’t the whole story. Since the end of the Great Recession, almost 12 million jobs have been created. But, average wages working Americans have dropped 23 percent. The strongest job growth these past few years has all been in low-wage work, at places […]
Apr 21, 2016 – Blog and News •
Defining and Measuring The Creation of Quality Jobs
Since the end of the Great Recession, almost 12 million jobs have been created — but most have been in low-wage occupations and at places like strip malls and fast-food restaurants. Average wages for working Americans have dropped 23 percent. It’s become clear that job creation does not equate to lasting economic change. In order to reverse the troubling trends […]