Patient Capital

Patient Capital = Investment capital that is not looking for fast profits

Description

"The term describes an amorphous but emerging set of business models. It is rooted in the notion that pursuing maximum growth and maximum shareholder value often dilute a company's social and environmental mission, and that achieving financial, social, and environmental benefits can take time. At its forefront are companies like Patagonia and Newman's Own -- for-profit businesses with strong social and philanthropic missions not likely to meet The Street's purely financial expectations. Right behind them are countless companies whose founders and investors support the values of sustainable business, clean technology, and "local living economies." Some of these are "traditional" businesses in that their structures and financial models are much like conventional businesses. Others harness innovative new models, such as "B corps" -- private companies that donate all of their profits to charity -- the Newman's Own model, since replicated by others." (http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/004375.html)

2. Janelle Orsi:

"Addressing the problem of access to capital requires a multi-faceted approach. One avenue is to increase the availability of “patient capital” by harnessing the collective wealth of the community.

Patient capital is essentially what its name implies. It’s money invested or loaned on a longer-term and/or more flexible basis than conventional financing. The lenders and investors are willing lock up their money for longer periods of time and wait, patiently, for their returns. For example, while repayment on a traditional bank loan likely starts almost immediately after funds have been dispersed, a patient capital loan has terms that allow for a longer period of time before repayment begins and/or provides some flexibility on repayment during low cash-flow months.

There is an underutilized pool of patient capital in all of our communities. Our communities are full of potential patient-capital lenders and investors. You may even be one of them. You don’t have to have hundreds of thousands of dollars to be a patient “investor.” You need only a modest amount of money to invest, and a little patience. By increasing the number of everyday people and organizations willing to make patient investments in local farming enterprises, we can become the community of patient capital investors these farmers need to acquire farmland." (http://www.theselc.org/tax_credits?)