
CommonGood is a financial services firm aligning capital to facilitate returns, human flourishing, and meaning.
Financial Advisors
Create deeper, more meaningful intergenerational relationships with your clients.
Individuals, Families and Foundations
Create alignment with your capital and the local and global opportunities you care about.
Impact Fund Sponsors
Your source for advice and implementation of your impact investment opportunities.
Donor Advised Fund Providers
Bring Impact Investing to your donors from strategy to implementation.
Investment Banking
Capital Market services with a mind towards profits and the common good.
asset managers advised
funds on platform
Million capital committed
Billion DAF Consulting / Due Diligence
Companies Advised
Private REIT created
More Than an Investment
Investments can produce potential returns for your needs and dreams, but they also impact people, communities, and the planet. Your capital has the power to not only change your life, but also those around you- it’s more than just an investment.
CommonGood brings our expertise, experience, and passion for impact investing across real assets, private credit, and private equity. Within those asset classes we have several areas of focus.
Areas of Focus
- Housing
- Environmental
- Small / medium business
- Africa
- Formerly incarcerated
Our world is hurting…
Capital has the power to change the world…
Capital is a tool and is used for good and for bad. The difference is the goal and the motives behind the capital. Imagine what would happen if we filled the gap between purely profit and purely charity. It would create another vision of success and undoubtedly unleash untapped creativity and innovation.


It’s the New Exchange
Historically, investing has been dominated by one major concept: risk and reward. However, in a 2017 survey, 75% of respondents said they were interested in investments that focus on achieving both financial returns and have a social or environmental impact. Impact investing is this New Exchange.
Trade fear and greed for joy and freedom
It is said that the markets run on fear and greed which are two natural emotions we have to deal with. But how do you move from fear and greed to joy and freedom? The key is to look beyond yourself. Align your capital with investment themes you have a passion for or care about. Let your capital work for you and for others.

CommonGood brings together a team of financial professionals with unique career paths and shared values to positively impact today’s transforming investment landscape and worldview.
Our Mission
To provide access and advisory services to Impact Investments that enhance both the financial goals and values of investors while creating meaningful impact in communities around the world.
Shelly Shafer on the joy found in Impact
Why Impact?
What is Impact Investing?
Investing in private investments with the intention of generating both financial returns and non-financial returns such as social, environmental, and spiritual.
Why impact investing?
Increasingly, investors are recognizing the power of capital and challenging the long-held views that investments should exclusively focus on financial returns with little regard for social and environmental issues. In addition, many recognize the shortfall that both non-profits and governments have to meet the ever-increasing needs and opportunities. In turn, it’s clear that business, done well, has the ability to impact people, planet, and profits for the common good.
It’s time for people to be connected to their investment capital. Every investor has their own risk, reward, and goals. With its unique and innovative approach to money management, Impact Investing allows investors to include their values and passions in their investment decisions.
Different types of Impact Investors
- Individuals
- Families
- Institutions
- Foundations and Endowments
- Governments
- Government Agencies
What are the elements of Impact Investing?
The key elements of Impact Investing are best described in an Impact Framework. This framework is important because it’s the working together of the four different pillars to enable the best possible long-term financial and non-financial outcomes.
- Financial Returns – Each investment needs to define the expectation of returns- from market rate to concessionary.
- Intentionality of Impact – Each investment needs stated objectives of positive social, environmental, or spiritual goals in addition to financial returns.
- Measurement/Reporting – Each investment must allocate time and resources to measure both financial and non-financial goals along with a transparent communication of the actual performance data.
- Sustainability – Each investment should evaluate their model and ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
How do impact investments perform financially?
Where do I start?
The best place to start is to consider what Impact themes match your passions and values, then ask questions of your financial advisor, or feel free to contact us.
Some common Impact themes include…
- Affordable Housing
- Agriculture
- Communication Technology
- Education
- Energy
- Environment
- Financial Inclusion
- Green Real Estate
- Health
- Small & Medium Enterprises
- Sustainable Consumer Products
- Transportation
- Wast Management / Recycling
- Water & Sanitation
Latest News
10 Questions to Ask Your Client
One of our big goals at CommonGood Capital is to be a resource for RIAs and Investors by providing education and access to world-class impact investments that have been vetted through our due diligence process, making your job easier. The evidence is showing that the...
CommonGood Capital White Paper Featured in ADISA Quarterly Magazine
Don't miss our new Private Credit: The Original Impact Investment white paper from Stephen Hester, CFA, CommonGood's VP of Investments - as recently featured in ADISA's AI Quarterly magazine (Volume 17, Issue 2). The paper provides insights into the historical...
Green Fund I Makes Investment in Hydropower Assets in Central Kenya
It's official - Jonathan Shafer, Managing Director of Fortis Green Renewables recently made the announcement... We are thrilled to announce our strategic investment with Hydrobox, a portfolio of eight small hydropower assets situated in Central Kenya. This...
Podcast:
A New Lens
REPLAY – Pete Leonard on Providing Second Chances
In a replay of one of our favorite episodes - Jeff Shafer, CEO of CommonGood Capital, is joined by Pete Leonard, founder and Roast Master of I Have a Bean, on how moving a lot as a child taught him the value of diversity, how a missions trip to Brazil and his...
#65 – Edmund Higenbottam on Financial Inclusion
Jeff Shafer, CEO of CommonGood Capital, chats with Edmund Higenbottam, Managing Director of Verdant Capital, discussing his over 20 years of experience in investment capital and investment banking, how his early career in financial services led him to a focus on...
#64 – Kenny Eck on Prosperity With Purpose
Jeff Shafer, CEO of CommonGood Capital, speaks with Kenny Eck, Founder and CEO of Patient Sortal, on his favorite part of growing up on a large-production farm, his accelerated educational path the led to 3 degrees in 5.5 years, his shift in focus from medical school...