Merrill Lynch Uses CDFI Assessment and Ratings System on $93 Million Community Investment (11/08)
While many investors use the CARS ratings as secondary information in their community investment decisions, Merrill Lynch will use it as its primary underwriting tool.

The Case for Categorizing Community Development Venture Capital as a New Asset Class (05/18)
A white paper by Pacific Community Ventures lays out the argument and identifies steps to promote growth in community development venture capital, such as standardizing social return metrics.

New Document Alleges Tie Between Chevron and Human Rights Abuses in Nigeria (08/12)
Identified in the discovery phase of a case proceeding at state and federal levels, the invoice and receipt indicate Chevron paid Nigerian soldiers for services on a day several villagers were allegedly killed (part one of a two-part article.)

Measuring Social Returns on Community Development Venture Capital Investment (04/21)
The Community Development Venture Capital Alliance releases the Measuring Impacts Toolkit, which attempts to quantify social returns from community investments.

Bush Budget Ghettoizes 18 Community Development Programs, Slashing Their Funds (02/16)
Community development advocates criticize the proposed budget for fiscal year 2006, as the consolidated programs will have to compete with one another for a smaller pool of funds.

CRAFund Goes Retail (08/10)
Formerly available only to institutional investors, the Community Reinvestment Act Qualified Investment Fund is now available to individuals through Charles Schwab.

Sarona Supports Microfinance To Help Alleviate Poverty in Developing Regions (06/03)
The Sarona Global Investment Fund finances starch processing in Paraguay, a foundation supporting small enterprises in Romania, and a savings and loan cooperative in Haiti.

Top Five Social Investing News Stories of 2002 (01/14)
The major social investing news stories of the year include significant corporate governance reforms and the success of community investment.

Community Investing Pays (10/10)
New study refutes the myth that loans to low-income borrowers carry higher risk than loans to conventional borrowers.

Conference to Consider the Business Case for SRI (07/29)
Institutional investors will discuss SRI at the Green Mountain SRI Summit, to be held in Stowe, Vermont in September.

Investment Partnership Has SRI Mandate (07/11)
The Global Environment Fund Group manages four funds and is a majority owner of a South Africa-based forestry company.

Community Investment As a Means of Competitive Advantage (08/10)
Ford Foundation report illustrates how companies are finding investment in rural and urban markets to be good business.

Louisville Community Development Bank Focuses on Inner City Neighborhoods (05/08)
Unique bank helps turn pockets of despair into pockets of hope.

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