Joe Evans is the Social Investment Practice’s portfolio director and social investment officer. In his role, he manages the portfolio of loans, guarantees, deposits and equity investments that support Kresge’s mission. He also originates social investments that support the Environment Program’s strategy around building the climate finance ecosystem.

Evans joined the foundation in 2014. Before joining Kresge, he worked for more than a decade as a generalist with a nationally recognized consulting firm practicing in organizational development, nonprofit business planning, social investing and multi-funder initiatives.

“Through that work, I had a bird’s eye view of several key developments in community finance that galvanized an industry and were initiated, supported or scaled through private foundations,” Evans said. “I apply that experience in service to Kresge’s ambitious goals, thoughtful strategies and commitment to leveraging market mechanisms to expand opportunities in America’s cities.”

Evans also served as an executive at a community action agency and, most recently, was the director of lending for a specialty Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) focused on expanding housing and educational choices for persons living with disabilities and their families.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Conn.

Photo: Ryan Southen

Areas of Specialty

Climate adaptation

Community development credit unions

Community development finance

Energy effciency

Equity and environment

Social Investing

Use of non-grant capital

Media Mentions

Here’s how foundations are bringing solar to lower-income communities

Solar finance

"The rooftop solar industry is booming, but far too few lower-income Americans are benefiting as a result. It’s a “modern version of redlining,” according to Joe Evans of the Kresge Foundation. Now an increasing number of charitable foundations are stepping up to redress that injustice, using a range of approaches to bring the benefits of solar to the communities that need it most. "

Environmental justice investors: It’s the demand-side, stupid!

Op-ed

"But that funding will go underutilized, and we will fail to fully leverage this historical investment, without significant attention to two barriers to adoption and scale of greenhouse gas-reducing efforts in Justice40 communities."

RE-volv secures investment to build solar projects for non-profits

Solar finance

“Climate change overburdens people of color and low-wealth communities, which are more likely to face power affordability issues, experience intermittent power loss, and live adjacent to polluting energy sources that impact health,” said Joe Evans, portfolio director and social investment officer at The Kresge Foundation.

Community-Driven Solar Investments Bring Clean Power to Underserved Neighborhoods

Solar finance

The nonprofit solar provider RE-volv recently closed a $3 million investment to finance solar installations at nonprofit organizations in underserved neighborhoods across the U.S

Making Federal Infrastructure Funding Equitable—What Philanthropy Can Do

Op-ed

This time around, how do we ensure these dollars land equitably on the ground in communities with the greatest need, particularly in cities and neighborhoods where Black, Indigenous people, and people of color are the majority?

Q&A with Joe Evans on Kresge Foundation’s $30MM Commitment for CDFIs and DFAs

Industry Blog

OFN interviewed Joe after Kresge launched Kresge Community Finance.

Kresge Awards $14 Million to Community Finance Institutions

Community Finance

"We wanted to test the demand for a standardized product of patient capital for CDFIs and DFAs," said Joe Evans, portfolio manager of Kresge's Social Investment Practice, "and to demonstrate to other investors an efficient approach to meeting the capital needs of low-income communities."

Commentary