Lisa Zaslow is a guest blogger and the views expressed herein are her own and do not necessarily represent the views of Shared Interest Society.

Lisa is a passionate fair trade and microfinance activist currently living in North Carolina, USA. She is the founder of Blue People Fair Trade Ltd., an online store that specializes in fair trade and environmentally friendly accessories from all over the world. If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact us with your interest.

Investing can be tricky business. And stressful. Not to mention a headache. And, especially for the novice investor… simply overwhelming. Add to this trying to promote a worthy cause…in a bad economy! So how should I invest my money responsibly?  How do I choose a cause?  How will my money be spent?  Let’s find out.

Socially responsible investing (SRI) is a broad based approach to investing that recognizes corporate responsibility and social concerns as valid and important part of investment decision-making. Today, one out of every nine dollars of US assets under professional management is following one or more of three core socially responsible investing strategies: positive and negative screening, shareholder advocacy and community investing.

Positive & Negative Screening is the practice of evaluating investment portfolios or mutual funds based on social and environmental criteria. Social investors seek to own profitable companies that make positive contributions to society.

Shareholder Advocacy involves socially responsible investors taking an active role as the owners of corporate stock.

Community Investing directs money from investors to communities that are not served by traditional financial service institutions. Local organizations provide access to credit, equity, capital and basic banking products otherwise lacking in these communities. In the US and around the world, community investing makes it possible for these organizations to provide financial services to low income individuals and to supply capital for individuals to start small businesses. They also help provide vital community services, such as affordable housing, healthcare and education.

We are going to concentrate on community investing in this post because it is both a sound investment option and an effective model for community development.

Why community investing?

Community investing is something that you can get into TODAY in the US just by going down to your local community development bank or credit union and starting a checking or savings account. The focus is on funding economic development in low-income areas, in contrast to the traditional approach.

What kind of community investments are there?

To have an impact here in the US and around the world you may choose to invest in one or more of the following:
•    Community Banks and Credit Unions:
•    Community Development Loan Funds:
•    Microenterprise Loan Funds:
•    Community Development Pooled Funds:
•    Community Development Venture Capital Funds:
•    Mutual Funds That Invest in Communities:
•    Donations:

Do I need large amounts of money to invest? How much money do I need?

Many community investment institutions (CIIs) have a minimum investment as low as $1000. A venture capital fund may require anywhere from $500,000 to $1 million. Why not direct at least 1% of your portfolio towards community investment?

Who can invest?

Individuals as well as institutions, such as corporations, universities, hospitals, foundations, insurance companies, public and private pension funds, nonprofit organizations, American Indian tribes and religious institutions.

What kind of returns can I expect?
Most community development loans, microenterprise and pooled funds offer interest rates that run in the zero to four percent range, averaging around two percent. The interest rate on venture capital funds varies. You can usually choose an investment term of between one to three years.

Are the investments tax deductible?
Generally, if your investments are earning interest, then they are not tax deductible. If you choose to donate your principal and/or interest, then that donation may be tax-deductible. If you do decide to donate your investment, you may want to consult a tax-planner to advise you further.

What are the risks?
Community development loans, microenterprise, pooled and venture capital funds—as well as mutual funds with a community investment component– are not insured so there is a risk of losing your principle.

Do I need a financial planner to invest?
You do not generally need a financial planner to invest, although you may choose to consult one. However, if you invest as a venture capitalist, consulting a venture- capital-savvy financial planner is highly recommended.

Why isn’t donating to charity enough?
Community investments can have a much higher impact than charity because the entire amount invested goes to helping communities in need. Additionally, these investments provide the means for low-income people to use their skills and talents to improve themselves economically. Many of the institutions in which you can invest will also accept donations to fund their work. One option for donations is to fund a new village bank in an underserviced area of a developing country. You can sponsor a village bank for as little as $5000.

Although, fair trade sales in the US and Europe are growing, consumer demand isn’t the only ingredient needed to increase fair trade sales; financing for farmer cooperatives is also essential. Farmers in the fair trade system still have upfront costs and small loans are difficult to obtain locally. Cooperatives don’t have the assets or financial track records that conventional local lenders are looking for. They are either unable to get credit or are charged exorbitant fees for it. Community investment offers financial services to community based businesses operating in developing countries. Fair trade organizations are promoting economic development and they’re doing positive things for the environment. Shared Interest is the world’s only 100% fair trade lending institutions. So…when you are ready to invest…please don’t forget your Shared Interest friends.

Click here to learn how you can invest in fair trade. Click here to donate to the Shared Interest Foundation

Tammy Cody is a guest blogger and the views expressed herein are her own and do not necessarily represent the views of Shared Interest Society.

Tammy is the founder of Dignity Regained, an online store that exists to bring attention to the fair trade movement and the positive effect that it has on the fight against human trafficking. If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact us with your interest.

When we closed our brick and mortar shop in December of last year, our only avenue of sales became our online store. While an online store has it’s upside (we can run it out of our home office which lowers the cost of running Dignity Regained significantly), it can also be somewhat frustrating at times. The interaction we have with our customers is limited to them visiting our website, reading as much or as little as they want, and looking at some pictures of products. We really want our customers to be able to hold and admire our products, while we tell them the story of the artisans and the importance of fair trade to their lives. We needed a middle ground.

I was a bit reluctant at first to try having a House Party. I didn’t want our customers to feel like a captive audience or trapped into buying something. (Even though I own a retail store, I am not the most sales oriented person for the job. Education and availability are more of a focus for Dignity Regained.) So when I discussed the idea of having Fair Trade House Parties with a friend, I was pleasantly surprised when she immediately volunteered to have one.

This past Thursday she gathered some of our friends from church, made up some snacks (of course everyone loves food) and opened her home to the store. I brought some inventory, set it up in the corner of the room, made some Fairtrade Soy Chai Lattes and set out some samples of Fairtrade chocolate. It was a smaller group, seven women. It was the perfect size for my first House Party because that is how I am most comfortable. For the first 20 minutes was sat and I explained the concept of fair trade, what human trafficking is, how fair trade prevents trafficking, and how Dignity Regained was started. I then pointed out a couple of items that I especially love, and told them that the products were available if they wanted to look or shop, but to not feel obligated. During this time some shopped, some asked questions and we did a giveaway.

It was a complete success. Everyone bought at least one thing, I was able to show them our website on a laptop computer so that they could shop later, someone booked another party for next month, everyone had fun and they left knowing about fair trade. I feel confident that House Parties will be a very good way to not only expand our store, but to also educate our community around us.

Click here to learn how you can invest in fair trade. Click here to donate to the Shared Interest Foundation

Lucy Robinson is a guest blogger and the views expressed herein are her own and do not necessarily represent the views of Shared Interest Society.

Lucy is a co-founder of By Hand, an online store that specializes in fair trade jewellery and handicrafts from the Indonesian island of Bali. If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact us with your interest.

At the recent Shared Interest meeting in York, Jeremy Piercy, founder of fair trade success story Shared Earth, addressed the relationship between fair trade and the environment. In his eyes environmentalists and fair trade campaigners are missing a trick – the two separate campaigns have much to gain from working together.

Climate change is a serious issue for all of us, but for some of the poorest communities in the world it is a real problem. As the End Poverty 2015 Campaign states, severe weather events are expected to increase in frequency and intensity, and poor countries lack the infrastructure to respond adequately. Meanwhile, changing rainfall patterns will devastate the crops that many in developing countries rely on; and diseases such as malaria are also expected to increase in prevalence.

As a future cause of poverty, climate change is clearly a relevant issue for fair trade – a movement that seeks to use trade to improve the lives of the world’s poorest and most marginalised producers.

But fair trade can also offer hope to the climate change cause: Many goods produced within the fair trade sector are key examples of items being produced in a carbon-neutral way. Many of the small producer groups, which produce jewellery and handicrafts etc., use traditional methods, creating their products by hand or with simple tools. A large number of recycled or eco-friendly materials are also incorporated into fair trade products. For example, bags in the By Hand range are made from materials such as recycled Batik fabric, and fast-growing natural materials including rattan, lontar palm leaves and raffia leaves.

Although many fair trade products originate from the other side of the globe, the environmental damage caused by their shipping is far less than expected when sea freight is used. In his book, Coffins, Cats & Fair Trade Sex Toys, Piercy gives the example of shipping an eco-coffin from China to the UK; when transported by boat it is roughly equivalent to driving a car in the UK for just 3-4 miles. It is airfreight that does the real damage, and fair trade organisations can choose to set the example here and transport their goods by sea freight alone.

Fair trade organisations selling products, which have been made using traditional, almost entirely carbon-neutral methods, can highlight the eco-friendly nature of the goods they are selling in comparison to those mass-produced in polluting factories, whilst the fair trade movement as a whole can also make it clear that buying fair trade is not just a fight against poverty, but also a step in the right direction as far as climate change is concerned.

Both fair trade and climate change enjoy mass public support and awareness of the two issues is high, thanks to media interest, celebrity support and extensive campaigning. Now it is time for the two campaigns to unite: for the fair trade movement to lead the fight against climate change, and for the climate change movement to lead the support for fair trade.

Click here to learn how you can invest in fair trade. Click here to donate to the Shared Interest Foundation

Jiva Masheder is a guest blogger and the views expressed herein are her own and do not necessarily represent the views of Shared Interest Society.

Jiva is a passionate fair trade activist currently living in Brighton. She is the founder of Jiva Fair Trading, an online store that specializes in fair trade and environmentally friendly accessories. If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact us with your interest.

Many people, predictably, year on year, decry how Christmas has become so commercial, lost its spiritual meaning. Yet these days, while not finding meaning in our lives from the Church, many of us have adopted more humanist values and can still find meaning in our lives from helping others. Fair Trade and ethical investment are prime examples of doing just that.

Shopping choices may not change the world, but buying Fair Trade certainly improves the lives of those who supply Fair Trade business. They receive a fair price, are not victimised by unfair buying policies, work in safer conditions and receive a social premium to spend on community welfare; often it goes on basic health and education provision that we have long taken for granted in more affluent countries. Much as people complain about the NHS, it is a phenomenal service compared with the health-care available in most of the developing world; this has struck me many times returning from India to this country.

Is shopping the new politics? No, but it can definitely help. It is easy with the enormity of social and environmental problems around us to feel overwhelmed by it all – as I also do at times – and the natural response is to shut down and turn away. But buying Fair Trade is making a positive difference; if we do nothing else to help others, we can remember that each Fair Trade item we buy has enhanced the life of the person who made it, and their community around them too.

Click here to learn how you can invest in fair trade. Click here to donate to the Shared Interest Foundation

Lisa Zaslow is a guest blogger and the views expressed herein are her own and do not necessarily represent the views of Shared Interest Society.

Lisa is a passionate fair trade and microfinance activist currently living in North Carolina, USA. She is the founder of Blue People Fair Trade Ltd., an online store that specializes in fair trade and environmentally friendly accessories from all over the world. If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact us with your interest.

Investing can be tricky business. And stressful. Not to mention a headache. And, especially for the novice investor… simply overwhelming. Add to this trying to promote a worthy cause…in a bad economy! So how should I invest my money responsibly?  How do I choose a cause?  How will my money be spent?  Let’s find out.

Socially responsible investing (SRI) is a broad based approach to investing that recognizes corporate responsibility and social concerns as valid and important part of investment decision-making. Today, one out of every nine dollars of US assets under professional management is following one or more of three core socially responsible investing strategies: positive and negative screening, shareholder advocacy and community investing.

Positive & Negative Screening is the practice of evaluating investment portfolios or mutual funds based on social and environmental criteria. Social investors seek to own profitable companies that make positive contributions to society.

Shareholder Advocacy involves socially responsible investors taking an active role as the owners of corporate stock.

Community Investing directs money from investors to communities that are not served by traditional financial service institutions. Local organizations provide access to credit, equity, capital and basic banking products otherwise lacking in these communities. In the US and around the world, community investing makes it possible for these organizations to provide financial services to low income individuals and to supply capital for individuals to start small businesses. They also help provide vital community services, such as affordable housing, healthcare and education.

We are going to concentrate on community investing in this post because it is both a sound investment option and an effective model for community development.

Why community investing?

Community investing is something that you can get into TODAY in the US just by going down to your local community development bank or credit union and starting a checking or savings account. The focus is on funding economic development in low-income areas, in contrast to the traditional approach.

What kind of community investments are there?

To have an impact here in the US and around the world you may choose to invest in one or more of the following:
•    Community Banks and Credit Unions:
•    Community Development Loan Funds:
•    Microenterprise Loan Funds:
•    Community Development Pooled Funds:
•    Community Development Venture Capital Funds:
•    Mutual Funds That Invest in Communities:
•    Donations:

Do I need large amounts of money to invest? How much money do I need?

Many community investment institutions (CIIs) have a minimum investment as low as $1000. A venture capital fund may require anywhere from $500,000 to $1 million. Why not direct at least 1% of your portfolio towards community investment?

Who can invest?

Individuals as well as institutions, such as corporations, universities, hospitals, foundations, insurance companies, public and private pension funds, nonprofit organizations, American Indian tribes and religious institutions.

What kind of returns can I expect?
Most community development loans, microenterprise and pooled funds offer interest rates that run in the zero to four percent range, averaging around two percent. The interest rate on venture capital funds varies. You can usually choose an investment term of between one to three years.

Are the investments tax deductible?
Generally, if your investments are earning interest, then they are not tax deductible. If you choose to donate your principal and/or interest, then that donation may be tax-deductible. If you do decide to donate your investment, you may want to consult a tax-planner to advise you further.

What are the risks?
Community development loans, microenterprise, pooled and venture capital funds—as well as mutual funds with a community investment component– are not insured so there is a risk of losing your principle.

Do I need a financial planner to invest?
You do not generally need a financial planner to invest, although you may choose to consult one. However, if you invest as a venture capitalist, consulting a venture- capital-savvy financial planner is highly recommended.

Why isn’t donating to charity enough?
Community investments can have a much higher impact than charity because the entire amount invested goes to helping communities in need. Additionally, these investments provide the means for low-income people to use their skills and talents to improve themselves economically. Many of the institutions in which you can invest will also accept donations to fund their work. One option for donations is to fund a new village bank in an underserviced area of a developing country. You can sponsor a village bank for as little as $5000.

Although, fair trade sales in the US and Europe are growing, consumer demand isn’t the only ingredient needed to increase fair trade sales; financing for farmer cooperatives is also essential. Farmers in the fair trade system still have upfront costs and small loans are difficult to obtain locally. Cooperatives don’t have the assets or financial track records that conventional local lenders are looking for. They are either unable to get credit or are charged exorbitant fees for it. Community investment offers financial services to community based businesses operating in developing countries. Fair trade organizations are promoting economic development and they’re doing positive things for the environment. Shared Interest is the world’s only 100% fair trade lending institutions. So…when you are ready to invest…please don’t forget your Shared Interest friends.

Click here to learn how you can invest in fair trade. Click here to donate to the Shared Interest Foundation

Lisa Zaslow is a guest blogger and the views expressed herein are her own and do not necessarily represent the views of Shared Interest Society.

Lisa is a passionate fair trade and microfinance activist currently living in North Carolina, USA. She is the founder of Blue People Fair Trade Ltd., an online store that specializes in fair trade and environmentally friendly accessories from all over the world. If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact us with your interest.

While riding in my car doing the usual boring errands, I came across a radio show featuring a young, outspoken Kenyan named Binyavanga Wainaina speaking about his views on the “Ethics of Aid”. My ears perked up. What could this young Kenyan have to say about donor aid and where his country was headed?

All too often, we assume that we know what is best for Africans. Yet, after 50 years of aid, half the population of sub-Saharan Africa is still living in extreme poverty. According to figures from the World Bank, the number of poor people in Africa has doubled from 200 million in 1981 to 380 million in 2005. Although the numbers are staggering, Wainaina has discerned that prolonged donor aid sometimes has a debilitating psychological effect on the very people it is seeking to help. He says, “a lot of people arrive in Africa to assume that it’s a blank, empty place and their goodwill and desire and guilt will fix it. And that to me is not any different from the first people who arrived to colonize us.”

Wainaina maintains that “the single thing that has changed the lives of millions of Kenyans in the last ten or fifteen years has been the rearrangement of the banking capital to serve the small Kenyan….the micro-lending banks, scaling up the idea that somebody who earns a thousand shillings a month is bankable and someone to invest in and be able to create a model for that person to acquire credit in a reasonable way and grow, that has mattered more than a donor or all of the donor things, because it believes in the idea that the person on the ground has an idea and that idea can be serviced.”

And if there is one thing that Wainaina wants people in the West to know, it is that “where these things work is where people do it themselves…you go back from 1940 until now. Any countries that have done well for themselves and have managed to do positive things and that have changed the lives of the large parts of their countries have done so on their own effort.”

He goes on to say that the projects that DO tend to work are “…projects where you have a very long relationship with people and you understand their value. And they do things themselves, very much on the ground, very sensible….they get the community participating….it’s very cost-effective and it’s very natural and it’s a part of our lives.”

When you invest in Shared Interest, you are investing in a lender that has been involved and on the ground for over 20 years. They work extensively with community based businesses in Africa and other countries to make the most of fair trade by providing capital up front for producers and longer term loans to support the purchase of infrastructure such as machinery, buildings and vehicles for growing businesses.

So when you are trying to decide whether to invest or to give…think about investing, because in the end we need to see Africa’s promise alongside its problems in order to participate attentively in its future.

Click here to learn how you can invest in fair trade. Click here to donate to the Shared Interest Foundation

Lisa Zaslow is a guest blogger and the views expressed herein are her own and do not necessarily represent the views of Shared Interest Society.

Lisa is a passionate fair trade and microfinance activist currently living in North Carolina, USA. She is the founder of Blue People Fair Trade Ltd., an online store that specializes in fair trade and environmentally friendly accessories from all over the world. If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact us with your interest.

Investing can be tricky business. And stressful. Not to mention a headache. And, especially for the novice investor… simply overwhelming. Add to this trying to promote a worthy cause…in a bad economy! So how should I invest my money responsibly?  How do I choose a cause?  How will my money be spent?  Let’s find out.

Socially responsible investing (SRI) is a broad based approach to investing that recognizes corporate responsibility and social concerns as valid and important part of investment decision-making. Today, one out of every nine dollars of US assets under professional management is following one or more of three core socially responsible investing strategies: positive and negative screening, shareholder advocacy and community investing.

Positive & Negative Screening is the practice of evaluating investment portfolios or mutual funds based on social and environmental criteria. Social investors seek to own profitable companies that make positive contributions to society.

Shareholder Advocacy involves socially responsible investors taking an active role as the owners of corporate stock.

Community Investing directs money from investors to communities that are not served by traditional financial service institutions. Local organizations provide access to credit, equity, capital and basic banking products otherwise lacking in these communities. In the US and around the world, community investing makes it possible for these organizations to provide financial services to low income individuals and to supply capital for individuals to start small businesses. They also help provide vital community services, such as affordable housing, healthcare and education.

We are going to concentrate on community investing in this post because it is both a sound investment option and an effective model for community development.

Why community investing?

Community investing is something that you can get into TODAY in the US just by going down to your local community development bank or credit union and starting a checking or savings account. The focus is on funding economic development in low-income areas, in contrast to the traditional approach.

What kind of community investments are there?

To have an impact here in the US and around the world you may choose to invest in one or more of the following:
•    Community Banks and Credit Unions:
•    Community Development Loan Funds:
•    Microenterprise Loan Funds:
•    Community Development Pooled Funds:
•    Community Development Venture Capital Funds:
•    Mutual Funds That Invest in Communities:
•    Donations:

Do I need large amounts of money to invest? How much money do I need?

Many community investment institutions (CIIs) have a minimum investment as low as $1000. A venture capital fund may require anywhere from $500,000 to $1 million. Why not direct at least 1% of your portfolio towards community investment?

Who can invest?

Individuals as well as institutions, such as corporations, universities, hospitals, foundations, insurance companies, public and private pension funds, nonprofit organizations, American Indian tribes and religious institutions.

What kind of returns can I expect?
Most community development loans, microenterprise and pooled funds offer interest rates that run in the zero to four percent range, averaging around two percent. The interest rate on venture capital funds varies. You can usually choose an investment term of between one to three years.

Are the investments tax deductible?
Generally, if your investments are earning interest, then they are not tax deductible. If you choose to donate your principal and/or interest, then that donation may be tax-deductible. If you do decide to donate your investment, you may want to consult a tax-planner to advise you further.

What are the risks?
Community development loans, microenterprise, pooled and venture capital funds—as well as mutual funds with a community investment component– are not insured so there is a risk of losing your principle.

Do I need a financial planner to invest?
You do not generally need a financial planner to invest, although you may choose to consult one. However, if you invest as a venture capitalist, consulting a venture- capital-savvy financial planner is highly recommended.

Why isn’t donating to charity enough?
Community investments can have a much higher impact than charity because the entire amount invested goes to helping communities in need. Additionally, these investments provide the means for low-income people to use their skills and talents to improve themselves economically. Many of the institutions in which you can invest will also accept donations to fund their work. One option for donations is to fund a new village bank in an underserviced area of a developing country. You can sponsor a village bank for as little as $5000.

Although, fair trade sales in the US and Europe are growing, consumer demand isn’t the only ingredient needed to increase fair trade sales; financing for farmer cooperatives is also essential. Farmers in the fair trade system still have upfront costs and small loans are difficult to obtain locally. Cooperatives don’t have the assets or financial track records that conventional local lenders are looking for. They are either unable to get credit or are charged exorbitant fees for it. Community investment offers financial services to community based businesses operating in developing countries. Fair trade organizations are promoting economic development and they’re doing positive things for the environment. Shared Interest is the world’s only 100% fair trade lending institutions. So…when you are ready to invest…please don’t forget your Shared Interest friends.

Click here to learn how you can invest in fair trade. Click here to donate to the Shared Interest Foundation

Lisa Zaslow is a guest blogger and the views expressed herein are her own and do not necessarily represent the views of Shared Interest Society.

Lisa is a passionate fair trade and microfinance activist currently living in North Carolina, USA. She is the founder of Blue People Fair Trade Ltd., an online store that specializes in fair trade and environmentally friendly accessories from all over the world. If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact us with your interest.

Investing can be tricky business. And stressful. Not to mention a headache. And, especially for the novice investor… simply overwhelming. Add to this trying to promote a worthy cause…in a bad economy! So how should I invest my money responsibly?  How do I choose a cause?  How will my money be spent?  Let’s find out.

Socially responsible investing (SRI) is a broad based approach to investing that recognizes corporate responsibility and social concerns as valid and important part of investment decision-making. Today, one out of every nine dollars of US assets under professional management is following one or more of three core socially responsible investing strategies: positive and negative screening, shareholder advocacy and community investing.

Positive & Negative Screening is the practice of evaluating investment portfolios or mutual funds based on social and environmental criteria. Social investors seek to own profitable companies that make positive contributions to society.

Shareholder Advocacy involves socially responsible investors taking an active role as the owners of corporate stock.

Community Investing directs money from investors to communities that are not served by traditional financial service institutions. Local organizations provide access to credit, equity, capital and basic banking products otherwise lacking in these communities. In the US and around the world, community investing makes it possible for these organizations to provide financial services to low income individuals and to supply capital for individuals to start small businesses. They also help provide vital community services, such as affordable housing, healthcare and education.

We are going to concentrate on community investing in this post because it is both a sound investment option and an effective model for community development.

Why community investing?

Community investing is something that you can get into TODAY in the US just by going down to your local community development bank or credit union and starting a checking or savings account. The focus is on funding economic development in low-income areas, in contrast to the traditional approach.

What kind of community investments are there?

To have an impact here in the US and around the world you may choose to invest in one or more of the following:
•    Community Banks and Credit Unions:
•    Community Development Loan Funds:
•    Microenterprise Loan Funds:
•    Community Development Pooled Funds:
•    Community Development Venture Capital Funds:
•    Mutual Funds That Invest in Communities:
•    Donations:

Do I need large amounts of money to invest? How much money do I need?

Many community investment institutions (CIIs) have a minimum investment as low as $1000. A venture capital fund may require anywhere from $500,000 to $1 million. Why not direct at least 1% of your portfolio towards community investment?

Who can invest?

Individuals as well as institutions, such as corporations, universities, hospitals, foundations, insurance companies, public and private pension funds, nonprofit organizations, American Indian tribes and religious institutions.

What kind of returns can I expect?
Most community development loans, microenterprise and pooled funds offer interest rates that run in the zero to four percent range, averaging around two percent. The interest rate on venture capital funds varies. You can usually choose an investment term of between one to three years.

Are the investments tax deductible?
Generally, if your investments are earning interest, then they are not tax deductible. If you choose to donate your principal and/or interest, then that donation may be tax-deductible. If you do decide to donate your investment, you may want to consult a tax-planner to advise you further.

What are the risks?
Community development loans, microenterprise, pooled and venture capital funds—as well as mutual funds with a community investment component– are not insured so there is a risk of losing your principle.

Do I need a financial planner to invest?
You do not generally need a financial planner to invest, although you may choose to consult one. However, if you invest as a venture capitalist, consulting a venture- capital-savvy financial planner is highly recommended.

Why isn’t donating to charity enough?
Community investments can have a much higher impact than charity because the entire amount invested goes to helping communities in need. Additionally, these investments provide the means for low-income people to use their skills and talents to improve themselves economically. Many of the institutions in which you can invest will also accept donations to fund their work. One option for donations is to fund a new village bank in an underserviced area of a developing country. You can sponsor a village bank for as little as $5000.

Although, fair trade sales in the US and Europe are growing, consumer demand isn’t the only ingredient needed to increase fair trade sales; financing for farmer cooperatives is also essential. Farmers in the fair trade system still have upfront costs and small loans are difficult to obtain locally. Cooperatives don’t have the assets or financial track records that conventional local lenders are looking for. They are either unable to get credit or are charged exorbitant fees for it. Community investment offers financial services to community based businesses operating in developing countries. Fair trade organizations are promoting economic development and they’re doing positive things for the environment. Shared Interest is the world’s only 100% fair trade lending institutions. So…when you are ready to invest…please don’t forget your Shared Interest friends.

Click here to learn how you can invest in fair trade. Click here to donate to the Shared Interest Foundation

Lisa Zaslow is a guest blogger and the views expressed herein are her own and do not necessarily represent the views of Shared Interest Society.

Lisa is a passionate fair trade and microfinance activist currently living in North Carolina, USA. She is the founder of Blue People Fair Trade Ltd., an online store that specializes in fair trade and environmentally friendly accessories from all over the world. If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact us with your interest.

Investing can be tricky business. And stressful. Not to mention a headache. And, especially for the novice investor… simply overwhelming. Add to this trying to promote a worthy cause…in a bad economy! So how should I invest my money responsibly?  How do I choose a cause?  How will my money be spent?  Let’s find out.

Socially responsible investing (SRI) is a broad based approach to investing that recognizes corporate responsibility and social concerns as valid and important part of investment decision-making. Today, one out of every nine dollars of US assets under professional management is following one or more of three core socially responsible investing strategies: positive and negative screening, shareholder advocacy and community investing.

Positive & Negative Screening is the practice of evaluating investment portfolios or mutual funds based on social and environmental criteria. Social investors seek to own profitable companies that make positive contributions to society.

Shareholder Advocacy involves socially responsible investors taking an active role as the owners of corporate stock.

Community Investing directs money from investors to communities that are not served by traditional financial service institutions. Local organizations provide access to credit, equity, capital and basic banking products otherwise lacking in these communities. In the US and around the world, community investing makes it possible for these organizations to provide financial services to low income individuals and to supply capital for individuals to start small businesses. They also help provide vital community services, such as affordable housing, healthcare and education.

We are going to concentrate on community investing in this post because it is both a sound investment option and an effective model for community development.

Why community investing?

Community investing is something that you can get into TODAY in the US just by going down to your local community development bank or credit union and starting a checking or savings account. The focus is on funding economic development in low-income areas, in contrast to the traditional approach.

What kind of community investments are there?

To have an impact here in the US and around the world you may choose to invest in one or more of the following:
•    Community Banks and Credit Unions:
•    Community Development Loan Funds:
•    Microenterprise Loan Funds:
•    Community Development Pooled Funds:
•    Community Development Venture Capital Funds:
•    Mutual Funds That Invest in Communities:
•    Donations:

Do I need large amounts of money to invest? How much money do I need?

Many community investment institutions (CIIs) have a minimum investment as low as $1000. A venture capital fund may require anywhere from $500,000 to $1 million. Why not direct at least 1% of your portfolio towards community investment?

Who can invest?

Individuals as well as institutions, such as corporations, universities, hospitals, foundations, insurance companies, public and private pension funds, nonprofit organizations, American Indian tribes and religious institutions.

What kind of returns can I expect?
Most community development loans, microenterprise and pooled funds offer interest rates that run in the zero to four percent range, averaging around two percent. The interest rate on venture capital funds varies. You can usually choose an investment term of between one to three years.

Are the investments tax deductible?
Generally, if your investments are earning interest, then they are not tax deductible. If you choose to donate your principal and/or interest, then that donation may be tax-deductible. If you do decide to donate your investment, you may want to consult a tax-planner to advise you further.

What are the risks?
Community development loans, microenterprise, pooled and venture capital funds—as well as mutual funds with a community investment component– are not insured so there is a risk of losing your principle.

Do I need a financial planner to invest?
You do not generally need a financial planner to invest, although you may choose to consult one. However, if you invest as a venture capitalist, consulting a venture- capital-savvy financial planner is highly recommended.

Why isn’t donating to charity enough?
Community investments can have a much higher impact than charity because the entire amount invested goes to helping communities in need. Additionally, these investments provide the means for low-income people to use their skills and talents to improve themselves economically. Many of the institutions in which you can invest will also accept donations to fund their work. One option for donations is to fund a new village bank in an underserviced area of a developing country. You can sponsor a village bank for as little as $5000.

Although, fair trade sales in the US and Europe are growing, consumer demand isn’t the only ingredient needed to increase fair trade sales; financing for farmer cooperatives is also essential. Farmers in the fair trade system still have upfront costs and small loans are difficult to obtain locally. Cooperatives don’t have the assets or financial track records that conventional local lenders are looking for. They are either unable to get credit or are charged exorbitant fees for it. Community investment offers financial services to community based businesses operating in developing countries. Fair trade organizations are promoting economic development and they’re doing positive things for the environment. Shared Interest is the world’s only 100% fair trade lending institutions. So…when you are ready to invest…please don’t forget your Shared Interest friends.

Click here to learn how you can invest in fair trade. Click here to donate to the Shared Interest Foundation

Lisa Zaslow is a guest blogger and the views expressed herein are her own and do not necessarily represent the views of Shared Interest Society.

Lisa is a passionate fair trade and microfinance activist currently living in North Carolina, USA. She is the founder of Blue People Fair Trade Ltd., an online store that specializes in fair trade and environmentally friendly accessories from all over the world. If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact us with your interest.

Investing can be tricky business. And stressful. Not to mention a headache. And, especially for the novice investor… simply overwhelming. Add to this trying to promote a worthy cause…in a bad economy! So how should I invest my money responsibly?  How do I choose a cause?  How will my money be spent?  Let’s find out.

Socially responsible investing (SRI) is a broad based approach to investing that recognizes corporate responsibility and social concerns as valid and important part of investment decision-making. Today, one out of every nine dollars of US assets under professional management is following one or more of three core socially responsible investing strategies: positive and negative screening, shareholder advocacy and community investing.

Positive & Negative Screening is the practice of evaluating investment portfolios or mutual funds based on social and environmental criteria. Social investors seek to own profitable companies that make positive contributions to society.

Shareholder Advocacy involves socially responsible investors taking an active role as the owners of corporate stock.

Community Investing directs money from investors to communities that are not served by traditional financial service institutions. Local organizations provide access to credit, equity, capital and basic banking products otherwise lacking in these communities. In the US and around the world, community investing makes it possible for these organizations to provide financial services to low income individuals and to supply capital for individuals to start small businesses. They also help provide vital community services, such as affordable housing, healthcare and education.

We are going to concentrate on community investing in this post because it is both a sound investment option and an effective model for community development.

Why community investing?

Community investing is something that you can get into TODAY in the US just by going down to your local community development bank or credit union and starting a checking or savings account. The focus is on funding economic development in low-income areas, in contrast to the traditional approach.

What kind of community investments are there?

To have an impact here in the US and around the world you may choose to invest in one or more of the following:
•    Community Banks and Credit Unions:
•    Community Development Loan Funds:
•    Microenterprise Loan Funds:
•    Community Development Pooled Funds:
•    Community Development Venture Capital Funds:
•    Mutual Funds That Invest in Communities:
•    Donations:

Do I need large amounts of money to invest? How much money do I need?

Many community investment institutions (CIIs) have a minimum investment as low as $1000. A venture capital fund may require anywhere from $500,000 to $1 million. Why not direct at least 1% of your portfolio towards community investment?

Who can invest?

Individuals as well as institutions, such as corporations, universities, hospitals, foundations, insurance companies, public and private pension funds, nonprofit organizations, American Indian tribes and religious institutions.

What kind of returns can I expect?
Most community development loans, microenterprise and pooled funds offer interest rates that run in the zero to four percent range, averaging around two percent. The interest rate on venture capital funds varies. You can usually choose an investment term of between one to three years.

Are the investments tax deductible?
Generally, if your investments are earning interest, then they are not tax deductible. If you choose to donate your principal and/or interest, then that donation may be tax-deductible. If you do decide to donate your investment, you may want to consult a tax-planner to advise you further.

What are the risks?
Community development loans, microenterprise, pooled and venture capital funds—as well as mutual funds with a community investment component– are not insured so there is a risk of losing your principle.

Do I need a financial planner to invest?
You do not generally need a financial planner to invest, although you may choose to consult one. However, if you invest as a venture capitalist, consulting a venture- capital-savvy financial planner is highly recommended.

Why isn’t donating to charity enough?
Community investments can have a much higher impact than charity because the entire amount invested goes to helping communities in need. Additionally, these investments provide the means for low-income people to use their skills and talents to improve themselves economically. Many of the institutions in which you can invest will also accept donations to fund their work. One option for donations is to fund a new village bank in an underserviced area of a developing country. You can sponsor a village bank for as little as $5000.

Although, fair trade sales in the US and Europe are growing, consumer demand isn’t the only ingredient needed to increase fair trade sales; financing for farmer cooperatives is also essential. Farmers in the fair trade system still have upfront costs and small loans are difficult to obtain locally. Cooperatives don’t have the assets or financial track records that conventional local lenders are looking for. They are either unable to get credit or are charged exorbitant fees for it. Community investment offers financial services to community based businesses operating in developing countries. Fair trade organizations are promoting economic development and they’re doing positive things for the environment. Shared Interest is the world’s only 100% fair trade lending institutions. So…when you are ready to invest…please don’t forget your Shared Interest friends.

Click here to learn how you can invest in fair trade. Click here to donate to the Shared Interest Foundation