Social Impact Investing: Financing Social Change

About the National Advisory Board (NAB) Germany

The German National Advisory Board was composed of representatives from the social sector, financial sector, foundations, academia and public sector (see page 7). The German NAB provided the international Taskforce with information on the specific circumstances in Germany and its members’ experiences with private investment capital within the social welfare system. In addition, it offered information on experiences related to German social impact investment initiatives in developing and emerging countries.

The working programme of the National Advisory Board was guided by the following questions:

I : Demand for funding:   Where exactly within Germany’s system of social services and among socially motivated organisations is there a need for social impact capital?

II : Supply of financing: Under what conditions can social impact investment capital be mobilised to finance social impact in Germany and in developing and emerging countries?

III : Analysis and communication of impact: How can the factors driving success in social programmes be captured and communicated in order to attract private actors to the SII sphere?

IV : Enabling conditions: What support structures are necessary in order to facilitate or strengthen the use of SII both domestically (in Germany) and internationally (investments originating from Germany)?

Members of the National Advisory Board Germany

 The members of the German NAB were invited to participate by the Bertelsmann Stiftung in cooperation with the BMZ and the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ). Dr. Brigitte Mohn served as chair of the German NAB. While preparing this final report, participants met in various working groups (strategy and coordination, asset allocation, investability, impact analysis, international development cooperation) during the period between January and September 2014. The Bertelsmann Stiftung provided conceptual guidance and organisational support for the NAB in Germany.