Investment Strategy
INVESTMENT STRATEGY
The Snow Foundation’s investment strategy is to ensure a strong rate of return to fund the foundation’s grant-making programs over the long term, with a target-balanced asset portfolio structure skewed towards Australian shares with fully franked yields offering additional return without the additional risk, investing responsibly in corporations which ideally seek to realise our mission, preference given to members of ESG Research Australia and signatories to the United Nations PRI and avoid those whose activities conflict.
• Australian Equity Fund Managers: Maple-Brown Abbott, Warakirri Equities Trust, Warakirri Cash Trust, Australian Foundation Investment Company, BKI Investment Company, Russell Investments, Australia Responsible Investments, Milton Corporation, Future Generation Investment Company, Third Link Growth Fund.
• Social Impact investments: Project Independence, Foresters Community, Finance, SEFA Loan Fund, Social Ventures Australia – Aspire SIB Notes, Social Ventures Australia – SBB notes, Social Ventures Australia – Diversified Investment Fund, Giant Leap Fund and AbilityMate.
• Global Equity Fund Managers: Hyperion Global Growth Companies Fund, Platinum International, Future Generation Global Fund.
SOCIAL IMPACT INVESTMENTS
The Snow Foundation is committed to embracing impact investments and growing our commitments in this area. Currently, the foundation has the following Social Impact Investments committed to the amount of $5.4M. We continue to aim for 10% invested in pure Social Impact Investments. Third Link, Future
Generation Investment Company and Future Generation Global Fund have been selected due to their philanthropic nature and if classed within the impact investments, the percentage share of impact investments would increase to 26% in the Asset Allocation June 2019 graph.
The Murray Darling Basin Balanced Water Fund, Compass SIB, AbilityMate, and CSIRO have now been fully paid.
New Impact Investments committed in 2018/19
AbilityMate – Custom made 3D printed ankle-foot orthoses for children.
Patamar II – An international fund with the mission of improving the livelihoods of low-income communities and providing strong financial returns to its investors primarily investing in companies across five industry sectors – agriculture, e-commerce, health care, financial.
CSIRO – Focuses on investment opportunities in deep technology and science ventures. These types of businesses have the potential to creatively disrupt the status quo, generating durable economic returns and large social and environmental impact over the long term for national benefit.
CSL Limited – A global specialty biotechnology company that researches, develops, manufactures, and markets products to treat and prevent serious human medical conditions.
ResMed Inc –A California-based medical equipment company dealing primarily in equipment related to the treatment of sleep-related breathing disorders, including sleep apnoea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other respiratory conditions.
Cochlear – a medical device company that designs, manufactures and supplies the Nucleus cochlear implant, the Hybrid electro-acoustic implant and the Baha bone conduction implant.
Murray Darling Basin Balanced Water Fund – Environmental watering in wetlands of spiritual and cultural significance to First Nations People.
Pride Cup Loan – LGBTIQ inclusion in community sports – playing, spectating, volunteering etc.
Existing Impact Investments from 2015/16/17
Foresters Community Finance Ltd – Offers financing to ethical, affordable and safe credit to people who don’t have access to mainstream lenders until they can regain control of their financial situation
SEFA Loan Fund – Provides finance to key impact areas including affordable housing, Indigenous training and employment, holistic education, faith, community, mindfulness and wellbeing, and refugee services.
Project Independence – Social housing model for people with a disability to acquire homeownership from their pension, as well as be able to live as independently as possible, providing related services (live-in care, meal preparation) in a purpose-built complex.
Social Ventures Australia – Diversified Investment Fund (fund invests in impact organisations and housing projects, focusing on education, employment, housing, first Australians, disability and health).
Giant Leap – Fund invests in companies whose mission is to create a more sustainable society.
Compass SIB – The program delivers a housing-first solution to 202 young people exiting out of home care, providing them with accommodation, case management, education, assistance in finding employment and personal development services which will reduce incidences of homelessness, emergency dept presentations and Justice system convictions.
Sticking Together – To increase the number of hours in productive work for 870 young people experiencing long term unemployment improving participant wellbeing and reducing state.