Community Development Finance refers to the vast array of financial services and products created and delivered specifically to those individuals and groups that are not being served by traditional financial institutions. While this is not a new field, with some Community Development organizations in existence for decades, it is certainly an evolving one. There is a wide variety of products and models for this type of work, catering to the myriad needs of different communities. However, almost by nature, these individual organizations remain highly localized and operate on small scales of economic development. This report examines three major types of community development financing, spanning the public and private sector, as well as traditional and evolving products. The models examined will be Community Development Finance Institutions, New Markets Tax Credits and Social Impact Investing. A thorough description of each type of financing will be followed by an analysis of its strengths and weaknesses. Once the merits and challenges of each model are identified, this report will examine different methods of scale, highlighting the adaptability to each model. / text

A Dissertation Report presented to the Witwatersrand Business School Witwatersrand University In fulfilment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Management June 2017 / Impact investment is an innovative mechanism developed within the realm of development finance to intentionally create measurable positive impact beyond financial returns. It has become an instrument for South African banks to achieve their Financial Sector Charter goals of making a viable contribution towards economic growth, development, empowerment and reduction of inequalities and poverty in our society. South Africa is the largest market in Southern Africa for impact investment and the management dilemma faced by the South African Banking Sector as the financial intermediaries is how to account and measure the social value created by the impact investments? This study investigated the measurement practices of social value of impact investment and developed theoretical constructs on how the financial intermediaries measure social value. A multiple qualitative case study method utilising purposive sampling was employed. The sample included fourteen interviews that covered the South African Banking as financial intermediary (micro and macro perspective) and its value chain and the competitive landscape perspectives. The study had three sub-questions focusing on the conceptualisation of impact investment, the nature of the South African impact investment ecosystem and the nature of measurement of social value. Data was triangulated by integrating semi-structured interviews, field notes and secondary documents. The data analysis used Attride-Stirling’s thematic networks as an analytical tool to analyse the qualitative data. This consisted of three stages that covered six steps of analysis. The analysis used Excel software to navigate from the interview question, coding, labelling, definition of codes, issues discussed, theme identification, organising and global theme deduction, description of network, and the triangulation of data (respondents quotes, field notes and document text). The findings of the study developed three models, an impact investment conceptual model, impact investment ecosystem model for South African Banking Sector and the financial intermediary social value equation model that depicts the measurement ratios of hybrid returns of impact investment. The study recommends the seven emerging theoretical propositions as the backbone of measuring the innovative social finance. The emergent models’ theoretical propositions will ensure that practitioners use the models to measure and account for the SA Banking Sector’s social value creation and the models will influence the intellectual framing of those in academic and reflective practitioner domain. This study’s overall contribution was to create the foundation of a method and theory for measuring social value in anticipation and seeking to influence the types of managerial knowledge needed to deal with societal and organisational concerns in the fourth industrial revolution. / MT2017

Thesis (M.DEV.) -- University of Limpopo, 2013 / The study aims to provide insights into the nature and extent of development funding provided to various poverty eradication projects by the National Development Agency (NDA) and its subsequent impact on reducing poverty in the predominantly rural communities of the Makhuduthamaga Municipality in the Limpopo Province. It examines in detail the impact made by the NDA on community development through the disbursement of funds to poverty eradication projects. It also provides insights into the total number of the NDA-funded projects and the total proportion of the NDA-funds allocated to them in the Makhuduthamaga Municipality. The study further examines the nature of the NDA support regarding the design of the interventions, relevance, participation of communities, delivery modalities and sustainability. The effectiveness of the NDA-funded projects in community development is determined using employment opportunities created, income generated, skills transferred, assets accumulated, sustainability mechanisms and community empowerment indicators. Although all of these indicators are found to be tightly linked to the NDA’s mandate of poverty eradication, the extent to which the NDA has achieved its objectives in disbursing development funding earmarked for poverty eradication and strengthening of CSOs was yet to be determined, hence the relevance of this study. The study, therefore, highlights key issues regarding the types of employment opportunities created and levels of income emanating from the NDA-funded projects. The study further highlights various areas of community empowerment, financial and sustainability measures put in place for the sustainability of the NDA-funded projects. Using a combined method of research, that is the qualitative and quantitative case study approach, the study highlights in detail insights into the impact made by the NDA on community development, particularly on Makhuduthamaga Municipality. The study highlights that while the NDA made some strides in the creation of employment opportunities, income generation, food security and community empowerment, both financial and institutional sustainability proved to be a daunting challenge for the NDA-funded projects Tailor-made and accredited training interventions coupled with the introduction of market-driven products to the NDA-funded projects as opposed to heavy reliance on donor funding will go a long way in bringing about productivity and, most probably, positive balance sheets and the maximum impact on the NDA funded projects.