Top in Fin I/Impact Finance
Term: Fall 2021 - Full Term (08/30/2021 - 12/13/2021)
Grade Mode: Letter Grading
CRN: 16678
Times & Locations
Start Date | End Date | Days | Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|
8/30/2021 | 12/13/2021 | MW | 3:40pm - 5:00pm | PCBE 235 |
Impact investors seek to generate environmental and social impacts in addition to financial returns. This emerging investment strategy has been applied across asset classes and seeks to address critical issues such as energy, water, climate change, community development, microfinance, social enterprises, health, and sustainable development. This course targets students interested in finance who want to better understand the interaction of capital markets and policy issues. The class will draw upon principles of finance, microeconomics, public policy and investment management to evaluate specific institutions, cases and investment tools in areas such as environmental markets and climate change, public finance, affordable housing, small business and investing at the base of the pyramid. The course examines various sources of capital (public and private, traditional and non-traditional) and the benefits and problems associated with using each source as an impact investing tool. The course will also examine various types of capital and financial instruments, and analyze case studies of project financing, including housing, small business, and energy. Finally, the course will examine specific models and mechanisms (for example, Community Development Financial Institutions - CDFIs) for financing development projects and ventures both in the U.S. and overseas. The format will be a combination of readings, lectures, case discussions, guest speakers and team presentations.