At Urban Advisors, we are engaged by clients that are focused on developing ideas into capital in a way that leverages best practices in economic development, social enterprise and impact investing.

Urban Advisors has built its reputation as an innovative impact investing consulting firm, working both independently and collaboratively on some of the most innovative initiatives.  Impact investing represents an overall strategy that focuses on implementing market based approaches to achieve financial returns and social benefit.

Impact investing has the potential to become an effective capital allocation strategy because of its disruptive ability to integrate traditional investing, philanthropy and government sector in a holistic way.  In addition to working with clients from the philanthropic, public, and private sectors to achieve double bottom line outcomes, Urban Advisors specializes in impact investment initiatives and transactions that include Program Related Investments (PRIs) and Mission Related Investments (MRIs).  

From an impact investment perspective, the basic limitations of traditional philanthropy and investing include:

Traditional Philanthropy 

Typically does not allocate capital towards socially oriented for-profit oriented enterprises, even if it will help to accelerate their core mission

Traditional Investing 

Typically does not allocate market rate capital towards investments that promote social outcomes as part of the investment thesis (i.e., Fiduciary Responsibility). 

The world’s social and environmental challenges are too significant and financial resources too limited to address with a grant only strategy. The concept of investment professionals and philanthropic professionals approaching their work in a collaborative fashion will be key to achieving a long-term sustainable strategy to address social objectives.

Impact investing is a strategy that spans across multiple asset classes.  Urban Advisors brings a combination of financing, social analysis, and economic development  skills to create finance strategies that intentionally seek to uplift, rather than exploit underserved and disadvantaged people, communities and market needs. In addition, we work with our clients to capture, measure and report impact, as well as manage all funding strategies and transactions.  Urban Advisors is focused on designing and implementing impact investment strategies that integrate elements of the financial, social, environmental sector.

  Urban Advisors helps clients manage the financial and impact aspects of all funding strategies and transactions.

Impact Investment Spectrum - Source: FB Heron, Luther Ragin