Program-related investments (PRIs) hold incredible potential for the social enterprise arena. Rather than giving away money through grants, PRIs allow foundations to make investments as loans or equity stakes in the hopes of regaining their investments plus a reasonable rate of return. This arrangement allows foundations to increase the amount of money available to the social sector, while simultaneously building stronger and more sustainable socially minded entities.
As part of a broader strategy involving impact investing and the market-based solutions of target recipients, PRIs stand to tackle tough social issues on a scale never before seen by moving beyond traditional notions of charity that, in many ways, continue to restrain large-scale progress.