The Financial Performance of Impact Investing through Private Debt

The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) and Symbiotics present the first comprehensive analysis of the financial performance of private debt impact investment funds.

The report analyzes the aggregate performance of 50 and over 100 Community Development Loan Funds (CDLFs). Return figures for both PDIFs and CDLFs are calculated based on annual financial statements dating back to 2012 (or the earliest available year since), provided by the surveyed funds. The analysis shows that, in general, private debt funds seeking positive impact can offer very stable returns across various private debt risk-return strategies, sectors, impact themes, and geographies.

This report continues the GIIN’s efforts to build a strong evidence base around the financial performance of impact investments, and follows the publication of a benchmark of private equity and venture capital impact investing funds and a benchmark of real assets impact investing funds in timber, real estate, and infrastructure.