How the Integrated Capital Institute Is Transforming Finance for Equity and Social Change

For too long, financial systems have concentrated wealth and decision-making power in the hands of a few, leaving entire communities struggling for economic agency. A growing network of changemakers trained through the Integrated Capital Institute (ICI) is shifting the flow of capital and control to communities that have long faced exclusion and discrimination.

The result?

A movement where financial advisors, philanthropists, and grassroots leaders are rewriting the rules of investment, funding, and economic power. Here, we’ll explore how ICI fellows are challenging traditional funding models in prioritizing community-led solutions.

The Role of the Integrated Capital Institute

Founded in 2017 by RSF Social Finance, the ICI was created to train financial advisors, philanthropists, community leaders, and investors in a new approach to money management. This integrated capital strategy combines financial, social, and cultural resources to address systemic issues like economic and racial injustice.

Through its rigorous nine-month program, the ICI has graduated 73 fellows with diverse backgrounds in age, ethnicity, geography, and socioeconomic status. By emphasizing collaboration and challenging traditional views of finance, these fellows are empowered to use capital as a tool for meaningful change.

One key insight from the ICI network is the importance of grassroots initiatives. Traditional funding models often prioritize top-down approaches, assuming change will trickle down. However, financial activists like Nwamaka Agbo, CEO of the Kataly Foundation, argue that transformative change begins at the roots.

Funding grassroots projects is central to addressing structural racism and inequity.

Agbo explains. Her Restorative Economies Fund exemplifies this, focusing on solutions proposed by impacted communities rather than imposing external priorities.

Similarly, Nikki Pieratos, managing director of the NDN Fund, highlights the impact of grassroots efforts in Indigenous communities. 

We pushed out tens of millions of dollars in trust-based grants in less than a year.

She notes, challenging larger institutions to act with urgency.

For systemic change to succeed, capital must shift alongside power. This requires centering decision-making in the hands of affected communities. Matilde Olazábal, founder of Fondo Bienestar, exemplifies this approach by creating a stakeholder board to oversee funding decisions based on community-defined pathways.

Chris Olin, cofounder of the Kataly Foundation, underscores the need to disrupt traditional philanthropy. “Most funding flows from white philanthropists to white-led nonprofits,” Olin notes. By prioritizing Black-, Indigenous-, and people of color-led initiatives, the Kataly Foundation aims to correct these imbalances and challenge bureaucratic funding practices that often hinder progress.

The financial system itself is ripe for transformation. Many communities face systemic barriers, including inaccessible language, rigid credit standards, and exclusionary networks. Activists like Leticia Corona and Pieratos are tackling these issues head-on.

Corona, who leads strategy development for California’s Office of the Small Business Advocate, emphasizes making resources accessible culturally and technically. 

For immigrant entrepreneurs, navigating barriers is remarkable. Imagine their potential if we dismantle those barriers.

She says.

Pieratos adds that Indigenous entrepreneurs face systemic challenges, including jurisdictional hurdles and deficit-based narratives. Her work at the NDN Fund involves creating culturally aligned lending standards and demystifying financial processes to empower Native businesses.

At the heart of the ICI’s approach is its focus on relationships and networks. Fellows work across race, class, geography, and professions to build collective strength. Erik Schultz, cofounder of the SK2 Fund, notes that systemic change is only possible through collaborative movement-building.

Schultz advocates for foundations to rethink how their assets are managed, shifting away from passive investments that sustain the status quo. Instead, foundations should align investments with their missions, amplifying their impact beyond traditional grants.

The ICI is proof that anyone with access to capital can be a financial activist. Resources like the Money Transforms website offer tools to activate capital for good and provide actionable steps to join this revolution.

The future of finance is based on justice, equity, and empowerment. Together, we can shift the tide toward a more inclusive and sustainable economic system. Let’s finance the future—one bold step at a time.