Black Capital Mobilization

Black capital mobilization is vital across Canada and throughout Turtle Island.

It is our collective responsibility to increase the flow of capital to Black-owned and Black-led businesses, initiatives, organizations, and fund managers. This is not simply an economic necessity, it is an urgent imperative to establish economic sovereignty, advance self-determination, and build thriving, resilient communities for generations to come.

Building the Foundation

In February 2022, the SETSI team, with the support of remarkable partners; WES Mariam Assefa Fund, World Education Services, Spring Activator, Colleaga, Inspirit Foundation, and the Afro Caribbean Business Network launched the SETSI IIRI – (Impact Investing Research Initiative). The IIRI was designed to accelerate the equitable growth of impact investing in Canada by grounding our work in socially responsible investment, knowledge mobilization, ecosystem building, and market development.

Through this initiative, SETSI:

• Facilitated 9 community capacity-strengthening webinars, designed to empower leaders with knowledge and tools for capital readiness.

• Facilitated 9 community capacity-strengthening webinars, designed to empower leaders with knowledge and tools for capital readiness.

• Produced and shared 30 recorded interviews, making them publicly available to democratize knowledge and advance field building on the SETSI Community of Practice platform.

This work also catalyzed the advancement of the SETSI Solidarity Working Group, guided by the pillars of Justice, Access, Inclusion, Diversity, Decolonization, and Equity (JAIDDE). Together, these efforts have amplified advocacy for systemic transformation, equitable access to capital, and the development of Black capital infrastructure across the country

What We Learned

Our consultations with founders, community leaders, Elders, Executive Directors, fund managers, and investors revealed both opportunities and urgent gaps. Strategies shared included:

• Direct investment models.

• Social finance and blended finance approaches.

• Philanthropic giving aligned with systemic change.

• Policy advocacy to create enabling conditions for inclusive capital deployment.

Despite these promising strategies, one truth remained clear: Black capital growth and infrastructure remain insufficient to meet the needs of our communities. A persistent bottleneck restricts the flow of resources into Black ecosystems, limiting our ability to scale impact.

At the same time, the urgency of today’s environmental, social, and economic crises demands a reimagined financial system, one rooted not solely in profit but in justice, sustainability, and collective well-being.

Advancing Black Capital Infrastructure

Through the IIRI, we gathered more than data. We created a mentorship framework, launched regional nodes, hosted dynamic convenings, and delivered transformative capacity-strengthening sessions for multiple cohorts of emerging and established leaders. We also elevated the power of impact storytelling, recognizing that narratives are catalysts for investment, trust, and action.

This scaffolding represents the early stages of a national Black capital infrastructure framework, one that harmonizes resources, strengthens networks, and equips leaders with the knowledge, relationships, and operational support to scale their work.

Our intersectional approach is rooted in an African-centered worldviews and centuries of struggle for racial and economic justice. We know that leaders closest to the problems are also closest to the solutions. Their voices, their passion, and their lived experience are the engines of innovation and impact.

And again and again, leaders told us one thing above all: capital is the missing piece. Convenings and panels create connection, but without access to capital, too many Black leaders remain underfunded, overlooked, and unable to realize their visions. This truth drives our work forward: capital, paired with partnership, catalyzes transformation.

A Collective Journey

No one builds or wins alone, and our team is no exception. We are deeply grateful to the partners who have invested in us, the allies who have stood with us, and most importantly, the leaders who have welcomed us into their journeys

Black capital mobilization is not just about dollars, it is about power, sovereignty, and the freedom to define our own economic futures. The challenge is massive, but so is our determination.

If this is the future you believe in, we invite you to stand with us. Together, we can transform Canada’s economic landscape, build infrastructure that lasts, and ensure Black communities not only survive, but thrive.