Overview

Empowering Change through Finance: The Goizueta Impact Investors Mission

At Goizueta Impact Investors (GII), we are driven by a powerful commitment to create a more equitable and sustainable world. Our mission is multifaceted and geared towards harnessing the potential of finance as a force for good:

Financing for Social Good: We offer short-term financing to social enterprises, focusing on uplifting disadvantaged communities and fostering sustainable development.
Educational Outreach: GII is dedicated to educating the Goizueta community about the transformative potential of finance. We emphasize its role as a tool for not just business development but also for generating positive social outcomes.
Practical Learning Experience: Providing Goizueta students with hands-on opportunities in the impact investing space is a core objective. We involve them in established investment processes, equipping them with real-world skills and insights into the dynamics of socially responsible investing.

2023 - 2024 Priorities

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Values

Core Values: Nurturing Impact at Every Level

At Goizueta Impact Investors, our values are the bedrock of our mission, guiding our actions and decisions as we strive to make a meaningful impact both within and beyond our immediate community. We are committed to:

Community Engagement: Our goal is to cultivate a strong sense of community, not just within Emory University but also across the greater Atlanta area. We believe in building a macro-community that thrives on collaboration and shared purpose.
Building Connections: We prioritize establishing and nurturing connections with other business schools. This network fosters a collaborative environment that enriches our learning and expands our horizons in impact investing.
Acceleration of Impact: Supporting and propelling impactful ideas and organizations is at the heart of what we do. We actively seek to accelerate projects and initiatives that have the potential to create significant social and environmental change.
Career Development: GII serves as a dynamic platform for professional skill development, offering exposure to careers in impact investing. We are dedicated to equipping our members with the tools and experiences necessary to excel in this field, ensuring they are well-prepared for their future endeavors in making a difference.

How is GII different from other impact investing funds?

GII is a student run impact investing fund focused on debt investments in Atlanta-based organizations. Our competitive advantage is that we can provide both financial and advisory support (if needed) to organizations. Moreover, we also give our entrepreneurs easy access to the Emory business community. As one of the top business schools in the country, the Emory community consists of successful professionals from diverse sectors.
How does GII decide on the rate of interest to offer on loans?

GII is very focused on driving social impact through its investments. Hence, we always try to offer organizations loans at relatively nominal rates compared to banks. Depending on the riskiness of the investment, the rates we offer are generally between 5-8%. The riskiness of the investment is judged by our experienced credit committee based on the insights provided by the due diligence team
Are their any geographical restrictions on where GII will invest?

We give higher preference to organizations based around Atlanta. This is because GII plans to provide both financial as well as advisory support (if needed) to its entrepreneurs. We believe it is more feasible to leverage Emory’s vast resources for the success of our entrepreneurs if they are based around Atlanta. However, we will review the applications from other parts of the country and hence, we encourage you to apply if you think you are a good fit for our fund.
What documents will my organization be required to share with GII?

Through the due diligence process, GII analyzes the financial health of the enterprise and its ability to pay back the loan. Additionally, we also try to identify the extent of social impact that can be created by the borrower organization through the loan. To do this, we request documents including (but not limited to): Tax Form 990 Determination Letter from IRS – to show tax exempt status (if relevant) Audited financials (for up to 3 previous years if possible) Balance Sheet Cash Flow Statement Annual (2-year, 5-year) budget Impact monitoring reports Additional grant or loan agreements, if relevant List of references (at least 3)
How does GII choose an organization to invest in?

The investment decision is made based on the organization’s financial situation and the extent of social impact created by it. Currently, we do not have a preference for any particular social mission, but we do take into consideration the sector (refer to the eligibility criteria for more info). After the organization submits their application, GII’s due diligence team performs an in-depth analysis of the company. The due diligence team then shares these insights with GII’s credit committee, which consists of experts from impact investing and social impact domains, who make the final recommendation.
How much of my time would be required through the process?

We are very focused on making the loan application process as efficient as possible for our partner organizations. The process starts with the organization filling out an application, which can take anywhere between 0.5 - 2 hours to complete. If your application is moved to the next round, we kick-off the due diligence process with an hour-long interview. Following this interview, we may reach out to the organization with any follow-up questions regarding the documents shared with us. In total, our application and due diligence process can take up to 3-6 hours of the entrepreneur’s time over the course of 3-4 months.