Capital Impact Partners was selected as one of the 50 Best Nonprofits To Work For in 2021 by the NonProfit Times, the leading publication for nonprofit managers. In this national program, Capital Impact was 19 overall, and 8th in the medium-sized category which made up half of this year's list. The company is one of only three Community Development Financial Institutions to make this list.
The publication partnered with Best Companies Group to identify nonprofit organizations that have excelled in creating quality workplaces. This survey and awards program is designed to identify and recognize the 50 best employers in the nonprofit industry.
"Since 1982, the mission-driven team at Capital Impact has dedicated itself to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with communities to foster good health, economic opportunity, and interconnectedness," said Kim Dorsett, Chief Human Resources Officer at Capital Impact Partners. "We are humbled that the NonProfit Times has recognized the strong culture and passionate team I get to work with every day."
Nonprofits from across the United States entered a two-part survey process to determine Best Nonprofits To Work For. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated organization's workplace policies, practices, and demographics. The second part consisted of a survey to measure the employee experience. This part of the process was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation.
Participating nonprofits go through a battery of surveys, including employees, managers, and outside vendors. There are 78 questions within eight categories that make up the Employee Benchmark Report (EBR). The medium-sized company category was the most competitive, representing nearly half of the entire list.
Key categories used to choose the leading organizations included Leadership and Planning, Pay and Benefits, Culture and Communications, Work Environment, and Overall Engagement.
A Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
In particular, Capital Impact was recognized for its work to include Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) into its lending and program strategy, as well as the very framework of the organization.
"We're on a journey that has neither a beginning nor an end," said Dorsett. "We have facilitated formal training in regards to unconscious bias, emotional intelligence, and race relations, and we're developing a glossary to assist employees."
Capital Impact's DEI economic and racial justice efforts are centered around the company's Equity Vision Statement.
The company holds itself accountable by publicly tracking progress in several ways as seen in their Annual Report, as well as in this table illustrating staff diversity.
A Strong Culture Focused on Personal WellnessCapital Impact incorporates inclusion-based metrics alongside other considerations when evaluating organizational culture.
"We embrace the theory of eight dimensions of personal wellness, which usually include emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, physical, social, spiritual, and vocational wellness," noted Dorsett.
The physical threat of the coronavirus pandemic during the past year, alongside the frustration of isolation, have brought emotional wellness to the forefront. Capital Impact Partners responded by offering online yoga and organization-wide virtual meditation classes, as well as physical fitness offerings. The organization also provided ergonomic assessments of home offices.
"We did [the meditation classes] first together so employees know this was a priority supported by the organization, so they would then feel comfortable later when they felt they needed to take advantage of that benefit," Dorsett said.
A Passion for Investing in Communities That Begins with Its Own Team
"'Bring our whole selves to work' is a constant refrain you will hear me saying," said Ellis Carr, President and CEO of Capital Impact Partners and CEO of CDC Small Business Finance (the organization that Capital Impact just formed its newest enterprise with). "This includes all of our backgrounds, all of our experiences, the things that make us who we are every day. This is what creates our unique culture and imbues a sense of pride in everything that we do."
Learn more about Ellis' vision in this video.
The company offers a suite of benefits to support its employees and their families through life's various stages. This includes:
- Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- Paid Holiday and Time Off
- Retirement and Pension
- Health Spending Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts
- Sick and Personal Leave
- Employer-paid Insurance Coverage
- Summer Hours
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Transportation Subsidy
- Telecommuting
ABOUT CAPITAL IMPACT PARTNERS
Through capital and commitment, Capital Impact Partners helps people build communities of opportunity that break barriers to success. Through mission-driven financing, social innovation programs, capacity building, and impact investing, we work to champion key issues of equity and social and economic justice. Our commitment to community focuses on ensuring that individuals have access to quality health care and education, healthy foods, affordable housing, cooperative development, and the ability to age with dignity.
A nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution, Capital Impact has disbursed more than $2.5 billion since 1982. Our leadership in delivering financial and social impact has resulted in Capital Impact being rated by S&P Global and recognized by Aeris for our performance. The organization has also been named to the 2021 Best Nonprofits to Work For list by the Nonprofit Times. Headquartered in Arlington, VA, Capital Impact Partners operates nationally, with local offices in Austin, TX, Detroit, MI, New York, NY, and Oakland, CA. Learn more at www.capitalimpact.org.
