About CAFIID
Canada Forum for Impact Investment and Development (CAFIID) is a community of individuals, organizations and investors who treat positive social and environmental impact and financial return as coexisting priorities.
CAFIID members combine many years of collaboration and engagement with a track record of innovation in structuring and funding impact investment products, designing and delivering technical assistance, and promoting sustainable investment ecosystems in emerging and frontier economies.
Mission
To strengthen Canada’s contribution to global impact investing by connecting, sharing knowledge and advocating in Canada and internationally
Vision
A more equitable and sustainable world through global impact investing.
2024 - 2026 Strategic Priorities
Education and Thought Leadership
Through its knowledge products, CAFIID helps raise the profile and awareness of impact investment and contributes to the continuous improvement of both its members and the ecosystem as a whole.
By driving its thought leadership CAFIID contributes to the ongoing evolution of best impact investment practices and their understanding across all practitioners and observers, in Canada and beyond.
CAFIID uses a variety of channels and tools to disseminate valuable data and information that contribute to creating a better understanding of impact investment and of its target markets.
Convening and Connecting
Directly or in partnership, CAFIID creates opportunities for members to meet, learn from each other, engage in concrete business collaboration, thereby contributing to greater cohesiveness and effectiveness of the sector.
Field-Building
CAFIID leverages its international network and expertise to contribute to the strengthening of the impact investment sector in Canada.
CAFIID enhances the profile of Canada as a global player, builds two-way bridges between Canada and international markets and helps identify business opportunities.
CAFIID contributes its expertise, network and firsthand experience to the development of a favourable, enabling environment for impact investment in Canada and beyond.
Team and Governance
Board of Directors
Lindsay Wallace | Chair
MEDA
Patrick Hergt | Vice - Chair
Sarona Asset Management
Sabina Bharwarni | Treasurer
iDE Canada
Carolyn Burns | Secretary
Individual Member
Robert Cheberiak | Director
DID
Marie-Claude Bourgie | Director
Individual Member
Michel Brutti | Director
Clear Skies Investment
Geoff Moore | Director
ImpactAND
Brian Carrière| Director
Colleges and Institutes Canada
Supporting staff
Aysha Dawood - Coordinator
David Loba - Accountant
Shiemaa Ahmed | Director
Individual Member
Werner Thorne | Director
Individual Member
Melek De-Wint | Director
Individual Member
Katharine Vander Laan | Director
Individual Member
Sumaiya Sajjad | Director
FinDev Canada
Membership Engagement Commitee (MEC)
Create programs and services that meet and advance the needs of members and CAFIID
Team
Naomi Gichungu | Chair
Sila Agiroglu
Sabina Bharwani
Abdelçamad Mahamat
Alicia Maitland
Katie Turner
Business Development Commitee (BDC)
Increasing and diversifying revenue sources
Team
Marie-Claude Bourgie | Co-Chair
Stéphanie Émond | Co-Chair
Rubelyn Alcantara
Ebenezer Arthur
Michel Brutti
Robert Cheberiak
Chris Clubb
Patrick Hergt
Alan Lo
Tarini Sharma
Jason Sukhram
Katharine Vander Laan
Thought Leadership Committee (TLC)
Creating opportunities to exchange best practices and strategies and act as a collective voice
Team
Sheimaa Ahmed
Brian Carriere
Carolyn Burns
Abhinav Jain
Kristina Kuznetsova
Geoff Moore
Yashel Oliva
Sumaiya Sajjad
Lindsay Wallace
Gender Lens Investing Community of Practice
Steering Committee
Sabina Bharwani - iDE Canada
Carolyn Burns - Independent Consultant
Narinder Dhami - New Power Labs
Rachel Murphy - Deetken Impact
Carolina Robino, IDRC
Katie Turner - Gender Lens Investing Consultant
Impact Measurement and Management Community of Practice
Steering Committee
Brian Carriere - Colleges and Institutes Canada
Noura Kamel - MarketShare Associates
Sarah Nielsen - Relativ Impact
Joanne Norris
Emiko Savic - Social Capital Partners
Jason Sukhram
Alyna Wyatt
Board Members and Members of CAFIID Committees are committed to observing and promoting the highest standards of ethical conduct in the performance of their responsibilities on the Committees.
Board and Committee Members pledge to accept the CAFIID Code of Ethics as a minimum guideline for ethical conduct.
History
The Canada Forum for Impact Investment and Development (CAFIID) was established by MEDA in the summer of 2014. CAFIID rapidly gained support of industry stakeholders – including senior representatives of impact investment funds, non-governmental organizations, foundations, family offices, consulting firms, research institutions and businesses – who wished to offer a collective voice in support of transformative development finance mechanisms.
Early activities involved regular meetings at events such as the Social Finance Forum (SFF), hosting of public forums, development of marketing materials, awareness raising and advocacy with the government of Canada, and growth of the network itself.
In 2016, with momentum building and the support of network members, members decided to formalize the association by setting up a steering committee and working groups and move to the next stage of its development. CAFIID became a registered Canadian non-profit organization in August 2017 and elected its first board in September 2017.