Community Development Venture Capital Alliance

Boston Community Venture Fund I and II
56 Warren Street, Boston, MA 02119-3236
Telephone: (617) 427-8600
Website: www.bcvfund.com
Email: info@bcvfund.com

Key Personnel:
Elyse Cherry, President
Andrew Chen, Managing Director
Sharon Shepard, Managing Director

Established: 1997 (Fund I); 2000 (Fund II)

Total Committed Capital: $5 million (Fund I); $15.9 million (Fund II)

Amount Invested: $4.4 million (Fund I); $3.7 (Fund II)

Geographic Focus: Northeast

Background
Boston Community Venture Fund (BCVF), a subsidiary of Boston Community Capital, makes equity investments in high-potential businesses that create a "double bottom line" of financial and social returns. In addition to providing capital, BCVF actively engages with portfolio companies to help them achieve their growth objectives. The Fund views job creation as a primary indicator of social return but also invests in businesses that provide high quality goods and services to lower-income communities or other disadvantaged populations, enhance the stability of lower-income or rural neighborhoods, or are women or minority-owned. In addition, the fund seeks companies that produce products that enhance the environment or reduce pollution.

The fund's fundamental premise is that financial return and social return need not be mutually exclusive. Accordingly, BCVF invests in growth-oriented local businesses that prove such development can be both a sound financial proposition and an effective way to build stronger communities.

Social Mission
The Fund aims primarily to create high-quality jobs for low-income individuals but also has the goal of increasing the availability of high quality goods and services to lower-income communities or other disadvantaged populations, enhancing the stability of lower-income or rural neighborhoods, and supporting women or minority-owned business enterprises. In addition, the Fund seeks companies that produce products that enhance the environment or reduce pollution.

Investment Information
The Fund invests in the Northeast, invests across a range of industries, and typically makes investments of between $250,000 and $1.5 million. The Fund typically invests in companies with revenue histories. For larger deal sizes, BCVF partners with an extensive network of co-investors to provide the needed capital.