NAACP, YWCA Partner with Impact Shares for Social Justice

To coincide with National Giving Day, the NAACP is joining with Dallas-based non-profit Impact Shares as they file for their initial exchange traded funds (ETFs), that will creatively allow investors to invest in social justice.

Impact Shares will file for two ETF’s designed in conjunction with and to benefit the NAACP and the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago. Expected to launch in early 2018, the Minority Empowerment ETF and the Women’s Empowerment ETF, reflect the respective organizations’ values and social mission.

“We are talking about providing the opportunity to invest in social justice to not simply investors but members and supporters who see the contributions of the NAACP as valued contributions to our society,” said Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO. “In the 21st century we can be strategic about how we spend and invest our dollars in positive change and ETF’s are a great way to begin a cultural shift in our communities.”

The Impact Shares NAACP Minority Empowerment ETF (NYSE Arca: NACP), will invest in companies that empower minorities through hiring, pay and promotion practices as well as their products and services.  The concept was originally developed with support from The Rockefeller Foundation’s Zero Gap initiative

“The NACP ETF offers socially conscious investors the opportunity to evolve business practices and, in some cases, their products and services, to promote economic development in communities of color,” said Marvin Owens, senior director of the NAACP Economic Department. “By investing in the NACP ETF, we can reward companies that empower minorities and give our members another tool to have their voices heard.”

The Impact Shares YWCA Women’s Empowerment ETF (NYSE Arca: WOMN), will hold stocks of companies that empower women, including promoting women’s health and women’s advancement initiatives.

“WOMN, collaboration with index provider Equileap, offers an investment solution that will look for companies that are leaders in empowering women both in and out of the workplace,” said Dorri McWhorter, CEO of YWCA Metropolitan Chicago. “We hope female and male investors alike seize the opportunity to encourage companies to more proactively address the issues impacting women today.”

“Giving Tuesday is the perfect time to announce Impact Shares’ unique partnerships with such highly regarded leaders known for empowering minorities and celebrating diversity,” said Ethan Powell, CEO of Impact Shares. “We are committed to working with nonprofit organizations that want to harness the power of capital markets to catalyze change in corporate America while providing investors with an equity market rate of return.”

To achieve its mission, Impact Shares, itself a 501(c) (3) charity, will donate the net advisory proceeds it receives from each ETF back to the related partner nonprofit, creating meaningful social impact engagement with corporate America and providing the investing public with more targeted, credible social impact investing options.

“In addition to our partnerships with NAACP and YWCA, we will be expanding our product suite with ETFs that appeal to investors who care deeply about causes including access to affordable healthcare and housing, a variety of specific health issues, the arts and veterans,” Powell added.