WINNIPEG, MB, May 28, 2026 /CNW/ - Boann has invested $617,000 to back the development of a sector-led national loan guarantee pool program – Impact Guarantee – designed to build capacity, diversify risk, attract new investment, and strengthen and grow Canada's social finance sector. With the generous support of the Government of Canada's Social Finance Fund, Boann is holding an additional $2.5 million as first-loss capital for the successful launch of the pool. Boann and the Government of Canada are investing in catalytic solutions that attract additional capital and enable increased economic, social, and environmental benefits across Canada.

Loan guarantee programs have a proven track record of mobilizing capital at scale, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, and funding the essential infrastructure and social projects, from affordable housing to renewable energy, that build stronger communities.  "Resilient local economies and thriving communities are the foundation of a strong Canada. By backing Impact Guarantee, we are supporting an innovative, made-in-Canada solution that brings new capital to the people and places that need it most.  It reduces the risk for investors and unlocks private investment that can support initiatives such as affordable housing, social enterprises, and other community projects. These efforts strengthen local economies and generate positive social and environmental outcomes," said the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario.

The Impact Guarantee will provide investors with significant risk mitigation through a pooled national loan guarantee and first loss reserve. By de-risking investment opportunities, community lenders will be able to channel more private capital into communities that need it most. Julia Grady, Executive Director and co-founder of 10C Shared Space and Kristi Fairholm Mader, Managing Director of Scale Institute Society recognized the need for a purpose-built national loan guarantee pool for Canada's social finance sector and set out to develop one. "We could see what was missing: a shared way to pool risk and unlock capital at a scale none of us could reach on our own. Impact Guarantee is our answer and a meaningful step toward a coordinated, national infrastructure for social finance in Canada."

The pool aggregates guarantees from governments, foundations, corporations, and institutions, connecting capital providers with local fund managers in a coordinated effort to scale social finance. "Community loan funds are effective because they know the communities they serve and how to assess risk accurately in their local and mission contexts. A significant impediment to growth of loan funds is a perception of risk" said Derek Ballantyne, Chief Executive Officer at Boann. "A national loan guarantee pool is the missing piece, a coordinated way to share and reduce investor risk and move capital at greater scale."

For more information, visit:

• Boann
• Impact Guarantee
• Social Finance Fund

Associated links

• Boann Contributes $617K to Catalytic Capital Lab's Loan Guarantee Pool

SOURCE Boann