Social Wealth
From natural resources to physical infrastructure, public assets represent a shared inheritance — yet their management is often underthought. JFI’s Social Wealth initiative seeks to develop financial infrastructure to transform these assets into long-term portfolios that can facilitate the wider distribution of returns to capital, endow critical social programs, and catalyze inclusive economic development. Our aim is to aid the management of social wealth funds, drive the democratization of finance, and strengthen the solidarity economy.
Drawing on resources from across the public, private, and academic spheres, JFI builds tools, conducts basic and applied research, convenes scholars and practitioners, and develops partnerships to help transform public assets into long-term financial portfolios in service of the public interest.
PARTNER WITH US
We partner with social wealth fund managers, academics, policymakers, and government officials in the US and abroad. Examples of this work include a study of financing and infrastructural options to support cash transfers and economic development in Compton, California, as well as our ongoing collaboration with UFF and the Treasury of Niterói, Brazil to develop tools and resources for the newly created Fundo de Equalização da Receita (Budget Stabilization Fund), including stochastic modeling software for portfolio analysis and risk management.
PARTNERS
-
Forum of Brazilian Sovereign Wealth Funds
-
Fundo de Equalização da Receita, Niterói, Brazil
-
Fundo Soberano do Estado do Espírito Santo, Brazil
-
Fundo Soberano de Maricá, Brazil
-
Fundo Soberano Municipal, Ilhabela, Brazil
-
Universidade Federal Fluminense
-
Fundação Euclides da Cunha, Niterói, Brazil
Featured Partners
Brazil's Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds
The Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds in Brazil builds innovative pathways for increasing the capacity of publicly-held assets to fund bold new social programs. Led by VP Paul Katz, JFI has worked with Brazilian partners to launch the forum, bringing together fund managers and political leaders into conversation with experts from academia and finance, and building the modeling capacity of the member funds.
Social Wealth Contributors
Adriel Araujo
Fellow
Francis Tseng
Lead Independent Researcher
Jason Windawi
Fellow
Jonathan Calenzani
Fellow
Paul Katz
VP and Lead Researcher
Sina Sinai
Fellow
Thaís Donega
Fellow
Related Publication Series
Recent Updates
JFI and Berggruen Institute Release Interactive Tool Exploring Impacts of a Public Bank
Digital web app allows anyone to build custom lending portfolios and see projected impacts on affordable housing, green energy, and...
Municipal Bank of LA: Interactive Balance Sheet Simulator
The simulator enables the public to allocate resources among the proposed public bank lending programs, testing cost and profit assumptions...
Part of the series Municipal Public Banking
Press release: People’s assemblies should govern public banks
A new report from JFI and the Berggruen Institute's Municipal Public Banking series
Municipal Bank of LA: Democratic Governance Frameworks
A briefing by Michael McCarthy of the Berggruen Institute on deliberative democracy for public finance and investment.
Part of the series Municipal Public Banking
JFI and Berggruen Institute Report: Public Bank Could Finance Over 17,000 Affordable Homes in Los Angeles
Press release: Latest in publication series on public banking shows how low-cost city programs can help protect and expand affordable...
Municipal Bank of LA: Housing Solutions and Portfolio Options
An analysis of how a public bank in Los Angeles could support the city’s broader infrastructure, housing, and sustainability...
Part of the series Municipal Public Banking
CBS covers JFI and Berggruen’s Public Banking report
On the first working paper in a series covering public banking in Los Angeles.
Press Release: JFI and Berggruen Institute Launch Series on Practical Pathways to Public Banking
Forthcoming publications lay out playbook for how a publicly-owned bank could unlock solutions to Los Angeles’ pressing challenges; new digital...
Launch of the Forum of Brazilian Sovereign Wealth Funds
The forum is a new association that invests in governance for a decarbonized future.
Press Release: The first technical seminar of the Forum of Brazilian Sovereign Wealth Funds
Researchers from the Jain Family Institute (JFI) and Brazil’s Federal Fluminense University (UFF) gathered with experts and government officials...
Social Wealth Seminar: Paul Williams and Zachary Marks
"Building a Future for Public Developers."
Part of the series Social Wealth Seminar
Presentation on A New Public Housing Model — Addis Ababa’s Urban Transformation
Join us on Friday, March 25 at 10am ET
A New Public Housing Model — Addis Ababa’s Urban Transformation
The first report from JFI's Social Wealth Portfolio
Social Wealth Fund work featured in Brazil’s O Globo
Coverage of the partnership between JFI, UFF, CEDE, and the government of the city of Niterói
Announcing a new partnership with the municipal sovereign wealth fund of Niterói, Brazil
JFI partners with the Municipal Treasury of the city of Niterói and the Federal Fluminense University to offer tools...
Universal Basic Income Workshop: Experiments, Policies, and Strategies
A two-day, online series of events and presentations on international basic income
Social Wealth Seminar: Jason Windawi
“What Makes Guaranteed Income Durable?"
Part of the series Social Wealth Seminar
Social Wealth Seminar: Saule Omarova
“The Case for a U.S. National Investment Authority.”
Part of the series Social Wealth Seminar
View all of 2020’s Social Wealth Seminar sessions
An archive of 2020’s eleven sessions in JFI’s ongoing virtual forum exploring strategies to manage public assets and resources...
Social Wealth Seminar: Sarah Quinn
“How Credit Programs Became a Multi-Purpose Political Tool.”
Part of the series Social Wealth Seminar
Social Wealth Seminar: Philip Rocco
“COVID-19 and the Crisis of American Federalism.”
Part of the series Social Wealth Seminar
Social Wealth Seminar: Steve Randy Waldman
“Perspectives on Social Wealth Funds.”
Part of the series Social Wealth Seminar
Social Wealth Seminar: Aja Brown
“The Compton Pledge: An Economic Resilience Strategy for Strengthening Community in Compton.”
Part of the series Social Wealth Seminar
Social Wealth Seminar: Jonathan Calenzani
"Bond Yields in an Era of Slow Growth."
Part of the series Social Wealth Seminar