Invest Appalachia Inc

INVEST APPALACHIA (IA) IS A REGIONAL IMPACT INVESTMENT PLATFORM DESIGNED BY AND FOR THE PEOPLE OF CENTRAL APPALACHIA. IA PROVIDES BLENDED INVESTMENT CAPITAL TO STRENGTHEN BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, BUILD EQUITABLE LOCAL WEALTH, ADVANCE CRITICAL SECTORS, AND INCREASE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERYONE IN CENTRAL APPALACHIA. IA WAS INITIATED THROUGH THE APPALACHIA FUNDERS NETWORK AND DEVELOPED BY A COLLABORATIVE GROUP OF REGIONAL LEADERS REPRESENTING CDFIS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PHILANTHROPIC ENTITIES, LOCAL INSTITUTIONS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.

COLLABORATIVE INVESTMENT POLICY DEVELOPMENT: IA LED A 5-MONTH PROCESS ENGAGING A WORKING GROUP OF REGIONAL LENDING PARTNERS TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND INPUT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INVEST APPALACHIA FUNDS INVESTMENT POLICY, CAPITAL PRODUCTS, AND PIPELINE APPROACH. A COMPREHENSIVE INVESTMENT POLICY AND CREDIT FRAMEWORK FOR THE IA FUND WAS DEVELOPED BASED ON THIS WORKING GROUP PROCESS AND FORMALLY APPROVED BY THE IA BOARD. DEVELOPMENT OF POLICIES AND GUIDELINES FOR THE CATALYTIC CAPITAL POOL WERE FORMALLY APPROVED BY THE IA BOARD. THE IA BOARD APPROVED THE INITIAL IA FUND INVESTMENT COMMITTEE, A HIGHLY QUALIFIED CROSS-SECTION OF BOARD MEMBERS, REGIONAL PARTNERS, AND NATIONAL PARTNERS. PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT: IA CONTINUED TO DEVELOP OUR PIPELINE APPROACH AND INTAKE CAPACITIES, INCLUDING COORDINATION WITH LENDING PARTNERS REGARDING POTENTIAL CO-INVESTMENTS AS WELL AS A GROWING LIST OF PROJECTS SUBMITTED THROUGH IAS ONLINE PORTAL. IA FURTHER REFINED THE PARTNER MANUAL THAT WILL GUIDE PIPELINE PARTNERS, ECOSYSTEM PARTNERS, AND CO-LENDERS IN MAKING REFERRALS AND COORDINATING INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITH IA.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND PARTNERSHIPS: IA CONDUCTED SIGNIFICANT STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING WITH THE APPALACHIA FUNDERS NETWORK AND ITS WORKING GROUPS, THE SE OHIO IMPACT INNOVATION GROUP, THE CENTRAL APPALACHIAN NETWORK, THE APPALACHIAN SOLAR FINANCE FUND, APPALACHIAN COMMUNITY CAPITAL, AND VARIOUS CDFI PARTNERS AND PUBLIC AGENCIES. IA SUPPORTED THE LAUNCH AND ONGOING OPERATIONS OF THE APPALACHIAN SOLAR FINANCE FUND, AS A MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE TEAM. IAS CLEAN ENERGY INVESTMENT STRATEGY WILL LEVERAGE THE SFFS CAPACITIES, PIPELINE, AND FINANCIAL INCENTIVES. IMPACT EVALUATION: IA DEVELOPED A COMPREHENSIVE IMPACT TRACKING FRAMEWORK INCLUDING PORTFOLIO-WIDE GOALS, SECTORSPECIFIC GOALS, AND POSSIBLE INDICATORS SELECTED BASED ON CRITERIA OF RELEVANCE, FEASIBILITY, UNIVERSALITY, AND ACCURACY.

TRAINING AND ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT: IA HELPED TO PLAN AND EXECUTE THE INAUGURAL APPALACHIAN INVESTMENT FRAMERS ACTION COHORT, AS A PRESENTER AND MANAGEMENT TEAM MEMBER. THE COHORT HELPED A GROUP OF 14 PLACE-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACTORS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR INVESTMENT AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT SKILLS, ADVANCE LOCAL PROJECTS, AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND UNDERSTANDING ACROSS THE REGIONS INVESTMENT ECOSYSTEM. IA CONTRIBUTED TO VARIOUS COMMUNICATIONS AND NARRATIVE-BUILDING EFFORTS, INCLUDING THE PUBLICATION OF APPALACHIAS INVESTMENT ECOSYSTEM JOURNEY, AN EFFORT TO TELL NATIONAL AUDIENCES THE STORY OF HOW THE REGION HAS INVESTED IN ITSELF TO BUILD A COMMUNITY-CENTERED INVESTMENT SYSTEM. .