FAQs

The following questions represent some of the most common inquiries that we get from prospective investees and partners. Before contacting us about a potential opportunity, please read to determine if we may be a fit.

Does Ceniarth make grants?

No. Ceniarth is not a traditional grantmaking organization and does not budget for conventional grants. This includes providing loan guarantees or other support that is not recoverable. Please do not inquire about this type of support.

Does Ceniarth invest equity in social enterprise start-ups?

No. Ceniarth is focused primarily on investments in funds and intermediaries with a more limited budget for direct lending activities. Please do not inquire about equity and/or venture investments directly into enterprises.

What asset classes is Ceniarth most interested in?

Ceniarth primarily invests in various forms of private credit, real estate, and real assets. We maintain a much smaller budget for LP investments in private equity and venture capital, a budget that is, for the most part, already allocated to existing partners. While we have a legacy portfolio that includes “responsible” public market investments, we are slowly divesting from these positions and are not interested in additional public market strategies.

What sectors is Ceniarth most interested in?

Ceniarth invests in a wide range of sectors that support improvements in livelihoods for vulnerable communities. This includes sectors such as financial services, affordable housing, agriculture, energy access, community development, healthcare services, and education.

Does Ceniarth specifically target diverse and/or first-time managers?

Ceniarth’s catalytic focus includes an openness to early/first-time funds that are targeting sectors of interest particularly those that have managed to find junior, first-loss, or other forms of partial guarantees. We strongly prefer to see diverse management teams that are representative of the sectors and places where they invest. We are particularly focused on management diversity as it relates to gender.

What geographies does Ceniarth invest in?

Ceniarth invests throughout the Global South, as well as in persistent poverty regions in more developed economies, namely in the United States and the United Kingdom. We have an emphasis on rural communities though do entertain transactions that may have a mixed target or even, in select cases, an urban lens.

What is Ceniarth’s typical check size?

Ceniarth tends to invest between $250K and $5M+ per fund or enterprise. Our check sizes vary widely by type and stage of investment.

What type of return does Ceniarth expect from its investments?

We aim for a contextually appropriate and fair return for our investments that vary by investee. We target a blended return across our entire portfolio that covers expenses and inflation, generally somewhere between 4-5% on a portfolio basis. On a deal by deal basis, our return expectations span a wide range and include everything from 2% debt to CDFIs and high impact MIVs to 10%+ returning direct loans or fund transactions.

I have submitted via the webform, is Ceniarth interested in my idea?

As you might expect, we do get a significant number of inbound inquiries seeking investment. Our origination team will see everything that comes in via webform. If you have not yet heard from us, it likely means your project is not a great fit for us or we are still working through a big review queue.