RCIF was begun by ten Congregations of Religious Women who were already engaged in community development investing. They valued it as a ministry, wanted it to continue as a legacy and were concerned that, given their demographics, they would not be able to continue staffing these programs into the future. Therefore they created this collaborative fund as a sponsored ministry. Read more about RCIF’s history, or download our story in a friendly parable here.
Achievements 2008 – 2018
In 2018 the Fund celebrated its tenth anniversary and has grown to $11 million in investments and 30 Congregations as sponsors. The sponsors have realized that through the fund they have a greater local, national and international presence and more impact than they were able to achieve with their individual funds. In addition, with no additional cost to the congregation, the loans are more professionally managed and they receive quarterly newsletters and annual reports with stories they can share with their sisters. With a five-year plan developed, RCIF is seeking to double its capitalization to $20 million and hopes to increase participation by many more Congregations. Positioned as a management service for Congregations that want to continue their community investing legacy, RCIF asks Congregations to participate at the sponsor or member level. For more information see the investor application guidelines under how we help.
