Fund Manager Education

Build Sustainable, Inclusive, and Equitable Local Economies

BII’s Emerging Fund Manager Cohorts engage existing and prospective fund managers in developing the financial rigor and multi-stakeholder engagement processes to structure, raise and manage a blended capital fund.

By the Numbers

24

integrated capital funds supported

50

emerging fund managers trained

90%

of participants are people of color

52%

of participants are women

BII Emerging Fund Manager Cohort

The purpose of the Emerging Fund Manager Cohort, originally called Integrated Capital Fund Building Cohort, is to offer education and training to diverse, emerging fund managers who are interested in designing and launching integrated capital funds dedicated to closing the racial wealth divide. BII’s curriculum teaches integrated capital, stakeholder development, investment criteria, governance structures, fund design and modeling, impact measurement and management, and raising capital. 

Minority and women-owned firms make up less than 10% of the asset management industry and control just under 1% of the $70 trillion in US assets under management. This cohort program addresses this issue by offering a robust fund manager curriculum that increases the number of BIPOC and BIPOC women-led funds, and in turn, increases financing support for entrepreneurs of color. BII’s goal is to create a budding community of practice for solidarity finance practitioners. 

This cohort model makes a significant contribution toward our mission at BII – to transform the impact investing field so that economic and racial justice become integral to any impact investment strategy. Our unique training provides a fresh perspective on trust-based investing, educates participants on the delicate balance between risk and return, and democratizes ownership and decision-making in communities of color.

Cohort Participants

Melanie Allen

Brandon Anderson

Jennifer Ching 

This was the first time I was called a fund manager. It is so hard to break into this work as a person of color. It was great to all learn about finance together. [The cohort] made me believe that I can be a fund manager myself.

Avery Ebron

The Guild in Atlanta, GA

The BII Cohort was a very approachable and accessible place. I never felt like I was asking a silly question. Come as you are. No shame.

Melanie Allen

Black Farmer Fund in New York

It was great to see people from communities of color trying to solve community problems, rather than white saviors, which we often see in these positions. It was good to see collaboration between different groups and relationships built.

Kenny Shelton

Denkym in Seattle, WA

Invest in Us

Whether you are an investor or a philanthropic donor, your support of BII will have a transformative effect in closing the racial wealth gap and creating an economy that works for everyone.