NEWSLETTER VOL 14 | April 2025

Impactful Undercurrents

As we honor our planet this month—and every month—and reflect on the awareness and action that Earth Day has inspired for decades, we also recognize the mounting pressure facing ESG, DEI, federal agencies, immigrants, universities, federal employees, civil service organizations, law firms, media, and many others. While the near-daily waves of chaos and uncertainty have certainly taken a toll, a recent highlight from ImpactAlpha provides a an undercurrent of optimism:

"In a survey last month… of nearly three dozen climate investors with a collective $1.5 trillion in assets under management found that most planned to increase their climate allocations in the next two years, or at least hold steady. Rather than pulling back, many private investors are stepping up, adjusting their approaches to capitalize on new opportunities.”

It’s clear that while some forces aim to destabilize progress, others are doubling down. Momentum is building—from strategic charitable giving and values-aligned banking to mission-driven investing and collective wealth-building. This newsletter highlights some of the ways we can contribute to impactful undercurrents, such as:

🤝 Front-loading charitable giving to earlier in the year
💸 Deploying DAF dollars that are sitting idle
🏦 Changing where we invest and bank
👥 Supporting/funding initiatives that promote shared ownership and power

New Pioneers - an original oil painting by Mark Henson

BLOG POSTS

WHAT WE’RE READING

EVENTS WE PARTICIPATED IN

NextGen investors for social impact: The power to scale Employee Ownership

Humanize Wealth partner Leslie Rosenberg was a co-panelist for a wide ranging discussion around the unprecedented opportunity to scale employee ownership (EO) as a solution to wealth inequality in the U.S. and the pivotal role next generation investors can play in this movement. The webinar recording will be published soon.

Ownership Capital Lab is also hosting an Employee Ownership Investing Course for foundations and philanthropy. 🎟️ Get in before it’s too late – ticket sales end on May 6th! Register here.

Impact Investing Spotlight: Partnering with Kachuwa & ShortStack to expand Portland affordable housing

Humanize Wealth partner Kyle Mylius recently toured two affordable housing projects in Portland, Oregon conceived by the innovative real estate development company ShortStack and supported by a number of partners including Kachuwa Impact Fund. The tour included a ribbon cutting celebration at the 36 unit “Mississippi” project and a groundbreaking ceremony at the 35 unit “Belmont” project.

Shortstack is a development platform and replicable housing product designed for the ‘missing middle’, at both the building scale and income level. The platform serves households at 60-100% AMI and delivers rentals and for-sale cottages through efficient design, panelized mass timber, middle zoning optimization, and combined public-private resources.

Kachuwa Impact Fund (an investment held by some of Humanize Wealth’s clients) made a sizable, catalytic equity investment into the aforementioned projects. Kachuwa’s investment helped unlock other mission-aligned funds and resources and the project was ultimately completed at 20% less capital compared to traditional LITEC-funded affordable housing (Low Income Tax Equity Credit).

UPCOMING EVENTS

Film Screening, Panel and Community Action:
Outgrow the System

When: Friday, May 2nd, 6:00-9:00 PM
Where: Mount Baker Community Club
Cost: Free admission, food, and refreshments. Donations welcome.

Outgrow the System explores how we can create an economy that works for people and the planet—not for corporate profits at the expense of communities and ecologies. New ideas and grassroots movements are challenging old assumptions and already moving us toward a just, sustainable future. This film envisions a world where we participate in bold, transformative alternatives.

Join Mount Baker Meaningful Movies, 350 Seattle, XR Seattle, Seattle DSA, and other local climate and social justice organizations for a powerful evening of film, local discussion, and action. RSVP here.