SOUTHFIELD, MICH., March 17, 2016 – Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, P.C. has been chosen by Traverse City, Mich.-based Venture North Funding & Development (Venture North), a regional economic development non-profit that provides business financing and other services across northern Michigan, to implement an impact investing program focused on transforming ten northern Michigan counties with business and job expansion. Jaffe CEO William Sider made the announcement.
“This partnership is exactly the type of innovative legal work that Jaffe finds inspiring and motivating,” says Jaffe partner Jennifer Oertel. “I’m grateful to Venture North and the Traverse City Rotary for working together alongside our firm to ensure northern Michigan has a growing business development program for the future.”
Oertel will be partnering with Romy Kochan, a managing partner with Gingras Global, in order to help the non-profit build the structure, tools, outreach and evaluation methods to attract investments and grants to dedicate towards impact investing. The Traverse City Rotary has already provided a $5,000 grant to Venture North to put towards developing the impact investing program.
“Jaffe’s expertise will be pivotal in helping our team navigate the impact investing space and attract potential investors,” says Venture North Executive Director Laura Galbraith. “We have a goal of increasing our capital lending base from $5 million to $20 million by 2020, and I am confident Jaffe’s trusted counsel will help us cultivate a more prosperous northern Michigan.”
As a 2015 Midsize Hot List honoree, Jaffe has earned national recognition for its impact investing & social enterprise practice group. The group serves as a leading force for social enterprise across the country and has made a proactive and positive impact on communities and entities nationwide.