Catholics have a long and beautiful tradition of bringing our faith into everyday decisions — how we use our time, how we treat others, and how we share what we have. At CCF, we also extend that tradition to how we steward and invest the charitable resources entrusted to our care.
How and why we invest is not separate from the CCF mission. It is part of our ministry. Since our founding in 1992, we have continually grown and evolved as a Catholic investor, always seeking to steward charitable dollars with care, integrity, and faithfulness to Church teaching. Today, CCF is recognized as a leader in faith-consistent investing because we intentionally place Catholic values at the center of investment decisions.
Our investment approach reflects the three strategies articulated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. First, we avoid doing harm by screening out investments that conflict with Catholic teaching. Second, we actively work for change through shareholder engagement, proxy voting, and dialogue with companies. Third, we promote the common good, through impact investments which directly contribute to positive social or environmental outcomes.
Investing, when done thoughtfully and faithfully, can be another way to live out the Gospel. Impact investing makes a particularly powerful example, as we do good in the world while responsibly growing resources for future ministry.
Digging Deeper: What Is Impact Investing?
Impact investing may sound technical, but the idea is simple. It means investing dollars in a way that seeks both a reasonable financial return and measurable good in the world. It is not an either/or choice between profit and mission. It’s a both/and approach.
It intentionally directs capital toward solutions such as affordable housing, dignified work, access to financial services, and care for creation — work that addresses real needs — while providing a financial return.
How Impact Investing Works at CCF
Donors and Catholic institutions entrust CCF to steward philanthropic dollars to one day support ministries and missions they care about deeply. While funds are in CCF’s care, we invest them carefully and responsibly, always in alignment with Catholic teaching.
A portion of CCF’s investment portfolio is intentionally placed in impact investments to add a diverse asset class to help defend against the volatility of public markets. Gains realized help grow the amount available for grants and increases resources donors and partners use to support parishes, Catholic schools, and other good missions and ministries. Impact investing allows charitable dollars to serve others not just once, but again and again.
Real-World Impact Today: Impact Investing in Practice
Impact investing isn’t just a theory. It’s already making a difference.
One example is Excelsior Energy Capital, a Minnesota-based investment firm focused on clean and renewable energy infrastructure. Excelsior’s Faraday Solar Project in Utah is a large-scale solar facility that generates clean renewable electricity for local communities. The initiative went online in late 2025 and now produces enough clean energy to power hundreds of thousands of homes each year, making it one of Utah’s largest renewable energy projects.
Another example can be seen in Creation Investments Social Ventures Fund, which CCF supports through our investment in Ascension Investment Management’s Impact Funds. The Creations Social Ventures Fund invests in mission-driven enterprises that expand access to financial services (credit, savings, insurance, and payment tools) for people and small businesses excluded from traditional banking.
One of the companies in its portfolio, DD360 in Mexico, helps low- and middle-income families access affordable loans to buy, build, or improve their homes. By making home loans more accessible, DD360 supports stable homeownership, family stability, and more resilient communities.
Looking Ahead with Faithful Stewardship
At the heart of CCF’s investment approach is stewardship. God entrusts us with resources. Not simply to hold onto, but to use wisely in love and service of our neighbors. Impact investing is one of the practical tools CCF uses to carry out the Church’s mission today while preparing for the needs of tomorrow.
If you would like to learn more about how your charitable giving can reflect your faith at every step — from generosity to investment to grantmaking — we would
be honored to continue the conversation.