In the aftermath of natural and man- made disasters, America’s low-income communities suffer the most acute devastation. After the initial period of disaster recovery, these neighborhoods and communities need patient, low-cost capital to reestablish themselves. Though faith-based investors are often eager to respond, they vary widely in their rate requirements, risk tolerances, and on-the-ground community development experience.
The Isaiah Fund is a permanent national inter-religious pooled fund designed to make high impact and high visibility targeted investments and loans with significant leverage that benefit low-income and minority communities in areas affected by major disasters domestically throughout the United States.
The Isaiah Fund emerged from the efforts of the Katrina Investment Response Team at the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR). Our first undertaking focuses on helping to rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.