What is impact investing?

Impact investing empowers investors to use business strategies and capital gains for societal good.

Investors make ethical investment decisions and use the financial returns to generate positive, measurable impact on organizations and communities that promote social, cultural and environmental good.

About the Impact Investing Fellowships program

We’re proud to partner with Propel Impact, a national non-profit that runs programs focused on impact investing and social innovation.

In Summer 2024, Propel offered its unique training program for undergraduate students at Memorial University. It’s the first time Propel’s training has been offered in Atlantic Canada.

Impact Investing Fellowships provide students with the opportunity to gain skills in investing and venture capital with a focus on social and environmental impact. You’ll get:

• A robust training program to build the technical and transferrable skills needed to work in social innovation and impact investing;
• Long-term mentorship from experienced investors, consultants and entrepreneurs; and
• Summer internships with impact investing funds, consulting firms, accelerators and foundations.

Applications for 2025-26 will open in Winter 2025. 

Impact Investing Fellows will:

• Collaborate with a network of peers to identify issues that are meaningful to you;
• Evaluate investment opportunities in local non-profits, social enterprises and impact-driven startsup;
• Make investment recommendations as a team; and
• Be guided through the process by a Propel impact manager.

Who’s eligible?

Any undergraduate student at Memorial University is eligible, regardless of discipline of study.

We welcome students from a variety of academic backgrounds! A background in finance or business isn’t required.

Space is limited.

What’s included?

The Impact Investing Fellowship includes:

• Summer training program (June-August 2024): learning modules focused on social innovation and social finance plus an experiential learning component
• Propel Impact Investing Competition (June-August 2024): six-week challenge in which students complete analysis and due diligence alongside a team on an impact-driven venture and culminates in a pitch to a panel of impact investors.
• Fellow position (Fall 2024-spring 2025): experiential learning program at an exciting new impact investment fund
• Summer Analyst Program (Summer 2025 – optional): Impact Investing Fellows are given priority hiring for the Propel Impact Summer Analyst Program that involves partner organizations. Past partners include Vancity, SVX, Spring Impact Capital, Innovate Calgary, SmartICE, Community Foundations of Canada, Thrive Impact Fund, Pillar Non-profit Network, Esplanade Québec, Kalédoscope Social Impact and more.

What’s expected?

This program is competitive. You’ll need to demonstrate:

• Interest in and care for social, environmental and cultural issues;
• Strong self-awareness, empathy and emotional intelligence;
• High level of initiative, organization, self-motivation and problem-solving skills;
• Excellence verbal and written communication skills;
• Drive to make a tangible difference in your local community;
• Growing interest in the impact investment sector;
• Ability to adapt, flexible thinking and capacity to collaborate;
• Strong intercultural competency, awareness and appreciation for diverse backgrounds and experiences; and
• Intrinsic motivation to create change within the community and/or larger global issues.

Time commitment: up to 10 hours per week.