Understanding what resonates with investors is essential to directing more mission-aligned capital to mission-driven depository institutions (DIs) making a difference in underserved communities. To deepen this understanding, CNote recently analyzed investor engagement across multiple channels to identify the impact themes that consistently drive interest and investment.
There is a key opportunity to build on this analysis by mapping investor priorities to real-world lending and financial inclusion data reported by Impact Cash® and Climate CashTM partners for 2024.
Annual impact reporting is a core requirement for all depository institutions on CNote’s platform. Each year, partners submit comprehensive data on their responsive programs, affordable products, and lending activities. While this process takes effort, the data collected does more than measure impact. Reporting enables CNote to highlight the meaningful work of mission-driven institutions and strengthens the case for continued investment.
Key Considerations
The insights in this report reflect investor engagement data from 2024, but investor priorities are dynamic. As economic conditions shift and national events shape consumer and shareholder interest, corporate and individual investment focus areas can change.
CNote works to align changing investor priorities with the real-world impact of mission-driven depository institutions. By tracking engagement, we ensure that capital flows where it’s needed most—helping both investors and financial institutions align for maximum impact.
For depository institutions, this report provides insight into what 2024 data shows investors resonated with. But as priorities shift, CNote will continue to translate and advocate for the breadth and depth of community finance work to galvanize aligned affordable capital.
Here’s What We’ve Learned
Investor engagement data from 2024 has revealed clear patterns in the themes that resonate with our network. We have identified five key impact areas that consistently attract investors:
- Access to Healthcare / Mental Health
- Climate and Disaster Resilience
- Access to Education
- Housing and Homeownership
- Economic Opportunity
Access to Healthcare & Mental Health
Investors continue to recognize the importance of financing healthcare services, mental health initiatives, and community-based health programs to improve long-term well-being and financial stability. Mission-driven financial institutions play a critical role in supporting healthcare access and addressing the Social Determinants of Health like affordable housing, access to transportation, access to healthy foods, and financial and job security.
- In 2024, CNote’s portfolio of Impact Cash partners originated nearly $220M in loans for healthcare, ranging from expanding health centers, building hospitals, and enabling new access, and $600K for access to healthy foods specifically.
- Over 30% of CNote’s portfolio of partners have products or programs directed at supporting rural communities.
- Offered over 185K automobile purchase or refinance loans totaling $5.2B.
Stories that resonated: How The Council On Alcoholism And Drug Abuse Of Northwest Louisiana Is Leveraging A Credit Union Partnership To Rebuild People’s Self-Worth, How McAuley Residence and The Genesis Fund are Redefining (and Rolling Out) Recovery Centers Across Maine, Meet Piedmont Community Services, The Behavioral Health Service Provider Taking Care of Its Community
Climate & Disaster Resilience
A growing number of investors are focused on financing clean energy projects, sustainability initiatives, and disaster recovery efforts that help communities rebuild and adapt to climate-related challenges.
- In 2024, CNote’s mission-driven banks and credit unions originated nearly 10,000 green financing loans totaling over $320M. These loans supported EV and EV charging station loans, solar installations, energy-efficiency improvementsm and natural disaster recovery and resilience projects
Stories that resonated: How Riff Raff Brewing Company Remains Down-to-Earth As Its Earth-Powered Beer Takes Off, For Opportunities Credit Union, Energy Efficiency Loans Help Low-Income Individuals Save Money—And Combat Climate Change
Housing & Homeownership
Affordable housing remains a priority in investor conversations and when analyzing engagement, with a focus on first-time homebuyers, housing for low- to moderate-income communities, and financing models that support long-term housing stability.
- In 2024, CNote’s Impact Cash® portfolio helped address the U.S. housing shortage through mission-aligned lending including $5.3B in housing-related loans.
- Almost 4K first-time homebuyers received assistance from CNote partner DIs.
- 3,172 affordable housing units were created or retained in 2024.
- $11.3M provided in down payment assistance to homebuyers.
Stories that resonated: Meet Beardstown Savings, The Community Bank That’s Speaking The Same Language As Its Multilingual Community, How Elevation Community Land Trust is Taking Affordable Housing to New Heights across Colorado
Economic Opportunity
Small business lending, workforce development, and financial products that drive economic mobility for underserved communities continue to be key drivers for individuals and corporations to engage with CNote.
- In 2024, CNote’s Impact Cash® portfolio played a significant role in advancing financial inclusion, mobility, and access:
- $2B in small business loans originated for over 9,200 small businesses.
- 58% of loans originated last year were directed to low-to-moderate-income (LMI) communities.
- 19,365 jobs created or retained.
Stories that resonated: Meet Tanesha Sims-Summers, The Poppin-With-A-Purpose Entrepreneur Behind Naughty But Nice Kettle Corn Co., How Toni Hopkins Embraced Her Entrepreneurial Side To Open Cool J’s Apparel During The Pandemic
Access to Education
CNote has seen an increased number of investors interested in funding initiatives that expand access to education, support schools, career training programs, and financial literacy initiatives that contribute to resilient and financially stable communities. Investors are particularly engaged in how mission-driven finance supports lifelong learning and workforce development.
- 43% of CNote’s portfolio Impact Cash® partners have reported products or programs directed at expanding Access to Education.
- 134.5K individuals participated in financial education and counseling programs.
- In 2024, CNote’s portfolio originated $10.2M in affordable and accessible student loans.
Stories that resonated: How NYU Federal Credit Union Is Forging Partnerships To Support Their Members, Where Are They Now? A Check In with Cortaiga Collins
Turning Data into Action
The findings from CNote’s investor engagement analysis and annual impact reporting highlight an essential connection: the work of mission-driven depository institutions aligns with the themes investors care about most. By collecting and analyzing bank and credit union impact data, CNote can more effectively attract mission-motivated clients, and ensure their capital flows through its platform to strategically support institutions creating measurable change in communities.
For depository institutions, this reinforces the value of annual impact reporting—not just as a requirement of the program, but as a tool for attracting capital. For investors, the analysis provides clarity on how capital is being used to advance meaningful change, from expanding economic opportunity to financing sustainable solutions for persistent environmental risks.
By making impact data more visible and actionable, CNote strengthens the bridge between depository institutions and investors—ensuring that capital reaches the communities that need it most while advancing shared financial and social goals.
Tell Us
Interested in learning more about Impact Cash as an individual? Learn more.
Depository institutions, Is this type of analysis helpful for your organization? Let us know! We are open to refining and expanding these insights. Email us at successandimpact@mycnote.com
Have a compelling impact story? Reach out—we are always looking to highlight the meaningful work being done across our network. Whether you are a partner loan fund, credit union, or bank, or if you are an investor. Email us at successandimpact@mycnote.com
