Making Impact Investing Easy

Matt Eldridge is the Executive Director of Realize Impact, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit helping donors invest charitable dollars in businesses driving social impact. Since 2020, about $45 million has been recommended and invested from over 200 donor-investors through Realize Impact’s services. The Community Foundation of Utah (CFU) is proud to partner with Realize Impact so Utah donors can easily and effectively begin impact investing.

Matt has more than 25 years of leadership experience in startups and nonprofit organizations. He was introduced to impact investing when he served as the CEO of Oikocredit US, the US affiliate of Oikocredit International, a €1.2 billion global cooperative making impact investments in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to improve the living standards of low-income communities. “Impact investing reminded me of the innovation of startups with the heart and mission of nonprofits,” he said.

In his work with Realize Impact, Matt loves seeing the excitement of donors who want to align their assets with their philanthropic interests. “Using a Donor Advised Fund to create an impact which generates returns is an opportunity that many donors find motivating and inspiring,” he said. When an investment is realized, returns are typically granted back into the donor’s DAF — allowing them to create further impact through more grants or philanthropic investments. “We do due diligence, and donors can recommend where we invest depending on the social and financial returns they hope to achieve,” he explained.

With incredible donor engagement since their founding, Matt looks forward to Realize Impact’s future growth. “One reason we see so much demand for our work with CFU is because we make impact investing so easy. We’ve simplified our process and removed friction so donors can support causes they are passionate about,” he said. As more donors incorporate impact investing into their portfolios, CFU and our partners at Realize Impact will lead the way for innovative giving strategies.