To turn purpose-driven missions into scalable solutions, social enterprises need to attract the right investors and secure the right type of capital to maximize their impact. Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship offers an Investment Readiness program that helps entrepreneurs strengthen their fundraising strategies by improving financial models, crafting compelling impact narratives, and providing the right tools to engage investors effectively.
In the third of Miller Center’s series on our customized training, we’re spotlighting Investment Readiness as part of our initiative with Chevron that supports Asia-Pacific enterprises that have the potential to grow and scale their social economic impact. This program provides a suite of entrepreneurial services, including capacity and leadership development, training and mentoring, and investment readiness and facilitation.
Fair Climate Fund-India (FCF) is one such enterprise that has benefited from this approach. Led by Founder and CEO Jasmeet Singh, FCF recently completed Miller Center’s In-Residence program. The organization is dedicated to creating fair and sustainable climate solutions that support vulnerable communities while protecting the environment, primarily through carbon projects and related services. Through Miller Center’s Investment Readiness program, Jasmeet and his team refined their fundraising strategies, ultimately securing catalytic funding through Miller Center’s investment arm, Miller Center Capital. As Paul Belknap, Director of Impact Investing, explains, “Fair Climate Fund is a great example—our investment helped catalyze additional funding, demonstrating how early, impact-first capital can unlock greater financial opportunities for social enterprises looking to scale.”
In this interview, Jasmeet and Paul share key insights on the critical role of investment readiness and offer practical guidance for social entrepreneurs seeking funding.
Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship: Why is being investment-ready important for social entrepreneurs, and how does it shape decision-making and strategy?
Jasmeet Singh / Fair Climate Fund: Investment readiness is crucial for social entrepreneurs as it bridges the gap between mission-driven impact and financial sustainability. Through this program, we improved our business model and aligned with the right investors. It reinforced our focus on social impact and provided clear direction in engaging with investors who share our vision.
Paul Belknap / Miller Center: To be investment-ready, a social enterprise must not only demonstrate strong results but also effectively communicate and document those results in alignment with the type and amount of capital it seeks to raise. Most social enterprises require funding to grow their businesses and scale their impact, making it essential for them to develop the necessary tools and processes to secure investment successfully.
Miller Center: As the Director of Impact Investing, what are the biggest challenges you see for social enterprises when preparing for investment?
Paul: Common challenges include raising the wrong amount or type of capital and initiating the fundraising process before refining their storytelling and documentation. Many enterprises attempt to raise more capital than their business can realistically absorb or seek equity financing when debt would be more appropriate, or vice versa. As a result, they end up engaging with the wrong investors, making it difficult to secure funding.
Additionally, starting the process before clearly articulating their story or before having well-documented evidence of impact and financial growth plans can undermine investor confidence. When investors probe deeper and find gaps in documentation or strategy, it can derail the entire fundraising process. When additional support is needed—whether in gathering impact data or refining a go-to-market strategy—we connect entrepreneurs with Miller Center’s executive mentor network for tailored, one-on-one coaching to address specific challenges.
Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship: Which of Miller Center Capital’s training approaches have you found most valuable when helping social enterprises improve their investment readiness?
Paul: One of the most valuable approaches is working with entrepreneurs to refine their funding ask—ensuring the capital type and amount align with their business needs—and fine-tuning their financial models to withstand investor scrutiny. In some cases, additional work is required to gather impact data or strengthen their go-to-market strategy. When this happens, our mentors provide customized support to resolve the key issues.
Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship: Based on the training and coaching you received to prepare for investment, what aspects were the most valuable to Fair Climate Fund?
Jasmeet: The most valuable aspects were investor communication strategies, the segregation of small and large pitch decks, and impact measurement frameworks. The training helped us develop a compelling investment narrative that integrates social impact while refining our pitch to balance commercial and impact returns. The one-on-one coaching sessions with our mentors were instrumental in addressing specific challenges unique to our sector.
What stood out was the emphasis on storytelling and investor alignment. Initially, we approached fundraising with a technical and financial mindset, but Miller Center’s program highlighted the importance of weaving our impact journey into the investment pitch. This shift helped us connect with mission-aligned investors who are looking not only for financial returns but also for measurable social and environmental impact.
Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship: Lastly, what advice or insights can you share with other social entrepreneurs about preparing for investment and making the most of customized training opportunities?
Jasmeet: Here’s my advice for entrepreneurs
- Understand your investors – Not all investors are the right fit. Finding those who align with your mission is just as important as securing funding.
- Refine your impact story – Data and financials are crucial, but a compelling impact narrative helps differentiate you in a crowded space.
- Leverage mentorship – The right coaches and mentors can offer perspectives that challenge your assumptions and help refine your strategy.
And, above all else, embrace the process. Investment readiness is not just about raising funds; it’s about critically evaluating weaknesses and building a resilient, scalable enterprise.
