Common Future

It’s time to make the economy work for all. Given the outcomes of the election at the federal, state, and local levels—we at Common Future are calling on funders to step in to provide long-term investments to shift the economy towards inclusive change. Read a message from our Co-CEOs, Jennifer Swayne Njuguna, Esq. SHRM-SCP, Sandhya Nakhasi, and Jess Yupanqui Feingold. https://lnkd.in/e2czZizX

“Thank you so much for guiding me through this process and I am very grateful for the opportunity to scale [my] business with Community Credit Lab." Feedback like this one from a small-business owner that was not able to access affordable capital from the mainstream financial system is what keeps us going at Common Future. Credit to Yaye Maguette Ndiaye, MBA, Marianella Vicarioli, Eduardo and Bryam for ensuring our borrowers feel supported throughout the entire lending and servicing process, and to Agnetha Jaime Gloshay for leading our impact investments work. Huge recognition also goes out to Sandhya Nakhasi (Co-CEO at CF) and Ryan Glasgo, co-founders of Community Credit Lab, now Common Future’s investment entity, for their vision of fostering values-driven relationships.

At the 2024 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Gathering in New York City, we announced our Community Credit Lab (CCL) Fund—our commitment to raise $35M over the next three years. This fund will invest directly in Black and Indigenous leaders, communities, and innovative economic models like land trusts, cooperatives, and community-owned real estate. Roselle Croitoru, Common Future Director of Investment Operations shares how we’re rethinking lending operations to build a fairer, more inclusive financial system. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/esias7iw

As part of our commitment to activating deeper collaboration in the equitable economy space, Common Future is excited to launch a new coalition in 2025 that builds upon the ideas and enthusiasm sparked during our Systems Change workshops. Individuals and organizations can register for the coalition here: https://lnkd.in/ekdewAh2

Our friends at Justice Funders are excited to announce the Just Transition Investing Academy (JTIA) launch in 2025! The JTIA will support philanthropy professionals–especially those in programmatic and grantmaking departments of institutions that manage an endowment–who want to deepen their practical and conceptual investment knowledge and explore the transformative potential of applying a Just Transition lens to investment portfolios. JTIA is now seeking applications from philanthropy professionals in 2025, more information here: https://lnkd.in/emPiMefm

Join Nonprofit Quarterly this week for Remaking the Economy: Liberating Finance to Build a More Just World on Wednesday, November 20th from 2:00pm to 3:30pm ET! Register to learn how nonprofits and movement activists are advancing strategies to address our time's economic and social inequalities. Moderated by NPQ Senior Editor of Economic Justice, Steve Dubb and featuring panelists: • Agnetha Jaime Gloshay, cofounder of Native Women Lead and Managing Director of Impact Investments here at Common Future • Fernando X. Abarca is a Loan Fund Organizer for Right To The City Alliance • abdiel j. lópez is Director of Capital Activation at Justice Funders • Onyx R., Senior Communications Director at Black Farmer Fund https://lnkd.in/gQbtHRxH

In this latest issue of our LinkedIn newsletter, we asked Common Future’s People Team to share tips for addressing Time Poverty that places values and organizational strategy at the center. Here is what H.R. Director RaShanna came up with. We invite your ideas and reactions, as well as ideas for future issues!

We already knew there was work to do regardless of the election results, and we know that it will include philanthropy and many others supporting a broader vision of an equitable economy and multiracial democracy.

As I reflect on the last week, with the high highs and lowest of lows, I am reminded that our work ahead was never dependent on the outcome of one election. The fact is that the economy does not work for all, and until it does, we will never reach the promise of a multiracial democracy. At Common Future, we are redoubling and continuing our efforts to build an economy that centers the Black and Indigenous experience in America, while striving for a different, better future. This will need to be done in coalition, as it's clear that when we ignore the wounds of our nations past, we also neglect the working class realities of the present. Now is the time to be clear on the throughline between building the economy we want and the society we deserve—where all Americans have power, choice, and ownership over their lives.

How might an orientation towards a community benefit return reduce our exposure to these persistent and looming risks we see in our economy? For the third installment of our Redefining Risk series, we'll explore this and more. Join us on Monday, November 4th, at 10 am PT/1 pm ET! This discussion will be moderated by Common Future Chief of Staff Victoria Monteiro and will feature: • Agnetha Jaime Gloshay, Managing Director of Impact Investments at Common Future  • Kuru Masomere, Director of Capital Strategies for Justice Funders • Krystle Okafor, JD, MSW, Director of Just Communities and Office of the Secretary at the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Register here: https://lnkd.in/gbWY24XB