Washington, DC – May 2025 – Proximate, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to covering movements for participatory problem-solving, today announced a new series on community-led investment models, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
This support will enable Proximate to launch an ambitious editorial series focused on the emerging field of participatory investing – innovative practices that shift decision-making power about capital to people with lived experience. The series will seek to build on past resources (Transform Finance’s Participatory Investment Learning Hub; Common Future’s Participatory Investing Toolkit; WES Mariam Assefa Fund’s work on trust-based investing) and will be informed by a lens of compassion and co-governance.
“Participatory investing is a nascent field, but an exciting one for those of us who know that public and private markets are inextricably tied to power,” said Ben Wrobel, Proximate Co-Founder and Managing Director. “With so much growth and experimentation underway, we’re hoping this series will provide a snapshot of how collaborative, community-driven approaches are changing the conversation about capital. We’re grateful to Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for their timely support.”
We believe in Proximate’s mission of building capacity for residents to be part of decisionmaking about the financial investments that are being made in their neighborhoods” said Brooke Tucker from RWJF. “Proximate’s journalism efforts to promote participatory investing will foster empowerment, center community voice, and nurture residents’ ability to organize and help to ensure that investments reflect their needs and values.
In addition to articles and a newsletter, Proximate will host a series of virtual and in-person convenings, bringing together advocates, funders, and communities to discuss advancements in participatory investing and how to foster greater collaboration across sectors.
About Proximate:
Proximate is a nonprofit newsroom launched in 2023, focused on participatory problem-solving and the movements that drive change at the systems level. We publish in-depth journalism about participatory grantmaking, investing, and democracy, highlighting both successful models and the challenges within the participatory landscape. To learn more about Proximate, visit proximate.press.
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