Making Money Work Harder for Alabama: Inside the Alabama Power Foundation's Impact Investing Program

By: Staff

What if a single dollar could do more than one dollar's worth of good? That's the idea behind the Alabama Power Foundation's Program Related Investment (PRI) program, and it's changing what's possible for Alabama's communities.

Launched in 2019, the Foundation's PRI, or Impact Investing program, was built on a simple but powerful premise: positive philanthropic outcomes and economic growth are not mutually exclusive. One of the first programs of its kind among corporate foundations in Alabama, it proved an investment could strengthen a nonprofit and strengthen Alabama's economy at the same time.

A Different Kind of Support

Traditional grants are a critical part of what the Alabama Power Foundation does. But grants have limits. The money is spent once, and the cycle starts over. Impact investing works differently.

The Foundation’s PRI program provides low-cost, mission-driven capital to nonprofit and for-profit entities with a philanthropic purpose through tools like balloon loans, convertible notes and lines of credit. When it's repaid, it gets reinvested. The same dollar keeps working. It's philanthropy designed to compound.

$5 Million Invested and Growing

Since 2019, the PRI program has deployed more than $5.8 million across 30 diverse projects, making it one of the most sustained impact investing programs among corporate foundations in Alabama.

In 2025 alone, the Foundation committed $775,000 to six organizations:

• Moxi Childcare
• Occupi
• Compression Works
• Chonex
• Veil Genomics
• Youth Sports Training

Each investment reflects the Foundation's broader mission to empower communities and improve the quality of life for Alabamians.

Why This Matters for Alabama

Access to flexible, affordable capital is one of the most significant barriers facing nonprofits and social enterprises working in underserved communities. Traditional bank loans may be inaccessible or prohibitively expensive for organizations trying something new. Grants, while valuable, may not fit the specific needs of a growing operation.

The PRI program fills this gap. By offering customized financing at low cost, the Foundation supports organizations which are positioned to create lasting change and does it in a way that stretches philanthropic dollars further.

When the Foundation invests in a community organization, it also sends a signal to the broader market: Alabama's communities are worth investment. This kind of institutional confidence can help attract other lenders, partners and supporters who might otherwise look elsewhere.

Forward Thinking in Action

The Alabama Power Foundation's four core values – responsible, encouraging, forward thinking, and courageous – are all evident in the PRI program. It takes courage to try a new approach to philanthropy. It takes forward thinking to implement a model where impact compounds over time. And it takes responsibility to steward capital carefully so it can serve Alabama for years to come.

Learn More

If you’re interested in the Impact Investing program, email the Alabama Power Foundation to learn more about the required application process, including financial reporting requirements.

Learn more about the Alabama Power Foundation and its programs at powerofgood.com.