New Investment Projects
Merton Capital Partners works to design projects that deploy philanthropic capital to deliver scalable social impact in partnership with the private sector and expert nonprofits. Each project is tailor-made to meet philanthropists’ goals for their donation, with proactive engagement throughout the process to ensure continued alignment in order to deliver meaningful outcomes for them and their families.
Merton’s impact finance investments are structured to be sustainable and financially self-sufficient, with for-profit returns going back to donors to be reinvested in further social good initiatives that are built alongside trusted nonprofits. Deployed in partnership with leading private companies and expert local nonprofits, Merton’s impact finance model efficiently scales evidence-based solutions to ensure high-impact results in local communities.
Sample Affordable Housing Project — A Four-Phase Social Impact Project
First Stage: A philanthropist hires Merton to create an affordable housing solution for a specific city. A three-month limited consulting engagement results in a proposal to develop a detailed plan for a pilot for the solution. Total cost: $45K-$55K.
Second Stage: Merton develops the detailed plan for a pilot solution, with private sector partners and expert nonprofits in a full-time 12-month consulting engagement. Total cost: $600K to $1M, depending on size and scope.
Third Stage: Merton implements the pilot plan and manages all aspects of the investments on behalf of the philanthropist. $100M of philanthropic capital funds 1,000 units (each with 250 units) of housing, along with bank debt. 200 of these units can house a vulnerable population and solve their lack of permanent housing. Total cost: $600K to $1M per year, depending on size and scope.
Fourth Stage: Merton can replicate this pilot to allow more philanthropy to be effectively deployed to create additional affordable housing in that city through the same partners. Total cost: $1M to $2M per year, depending on size and scope.
