Glossary

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Assets

Anything having commercial or exchange value owned by an organization.

Available Unrestricted Net Assets

The part of the net assets of an organization that is neither permanently restricted nor temporarily restricted by donor-imposed stipulations and that is available for use, e.g. not tied up in fixed assets.

B Corporation

A B Corporation is a business that has been certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

Balloon Payment

The final payment of a loan that is much larger than the preceding payments. This larger installment is agreed upon in advance by all parties as terms in the original loan documents.

Below-Market Investment

An investment made with an agreed upon rate of return that is less than the current market rate. Program-related investments (PRIs) are often referred to as below-market or concessionary investments given the requirement that no significant purpose of the investment can be the production of income or appreciation of property

Benefit Corporation

A benefit corporation is a new class of for-profit corporation that voluntarily meets specified standards of corporate purpose, accountability, and transparency. A benefit corporation has a corporate purpose to create a material positive impact on society and the environment; to consider the impact of its decisions, not only on shareholders but also on workers, community and the environment; and to report annually on its overall social and environmental performance against a third party standard. Benefit corporation language has been passed in at least 33 states.

Blended Value

A business model that combines a revenue-generating business with a component which generates social-value. Coined by Jed Emerson and sometimes used interchangeably with triple bottom line and social enterprise.

Bridge Loan

Temporary financing to a borrower who has secured a grant, loan or other forms of funding at a point in the future but who needs financing before such funds are received.

Business Plan

A document that describes an organization's current status and plans for several years into the future. The plan projects opportunities and maps financial, operational, marketing and organizational strategies that will enable the organization to achieve its goals.

Capital Absorption

The ability of communities to effectively use investment capital to serve pressing needs. Understood in the context of the Integration Initiative work of Living Cities and the Initiative for Responsible Investment at the Harvard Kennedy School.

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