Economist and author Michael H. Shuman has cited the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund among his 10 Top Tools for Grassroots Investors in an article posted to the Social Capital Markets website.

Writing about the socially responsible investing (SRI) movement, Shuman observed that "a growing number of its movers and shakers are appreciating the importance of local investment. One reason is that there is compelling evidence that locally owned businesses are the key to community prosperity. Another is that the close proximity between investors and local companies increases corporate accountability and reduces the probability of fraud."

Shuman, author or Local Dollars, Local Sense: How to Move Your Money from Wall Street to Main Street and Achieve Real Prosperity, offered 10 ways grassroots or retail investors can "go local." The eighth promoted local investment funds, which reduce investors' risk by pooling their capital.

"Pools of capital are preferable to one-off investments because they diversify risk. There are thousands of local-investment pools around the country, most of them linked with local economic-development programs, but nearly all of them are only open to accredited investors. Important exceptions that allow unaccredited investor participation include ... New Hampshire Community Loan Fund ... These funds will certainly multiply in the years ahead."

The Community Loan Fund gives investors with as little as $1,000 the opportunity to earn fixed-rate interest as high as 3.5%. Their investment dollars are immediately put to work in local communities, creating and preserving  affordable housing, jobs, child care, and vital community services, and helping bring healthy local food to consumers.

Learn more about investing in the Community Loan Fund.