In The Community
As an investment adviser who seeks to invest in firms that give back to their communities,
Parnassus Investments holds itself to this same standard. Parnassus Investments
has a 2 to 1 matching program for charitable donations made by its employees, and
we give our employees two paid days a year to volunteer at a nonprofit of their
choice. We also may invest up to 2% of the Funds’ assets in Community Development
investments.
As an active member in our community, here are some of the organizations that we
work with:
Earned Asset Resource Network (EARN)
Founded in 2001, EARN is an asset building organization that works to simultaneously
open the door to financial success for the working poor, pilot new solutions to
poverty that can be put to work on a large scale, and transform asset policy in
California. Parnassus Investments has partnered with EARN to help them achieve their
mission to find innovative ways to deal with impoverishment.
Project Homeless Connect
Project Homeless Connect is a San Francisco initiative intended to compel the general
public to connect with and help the homeless. By consolidating available services
and connecting homeless individuals to medical care, substance abuse, mental health
counseling and other social services, Project Homeless Connect works to help individuals
become self sufficient. Parnassus Investments supports this cause by making donations
and offering interested employees a paid day off to volunteer at the program's direct
outreach events.
University of California Incentive Awards Program
The Incentives Award Program, which Parnassus Investments has supported financially
since its inception, is committed to helping advance the education of high achieving
students overcoming great socioeconomic disadvantages. The program provides a $28,000
scholarship award to California students from low income backgrounds attending the
University of California, Berkeley. The program is designed not only to assist students
financially, but also socially by providing services such as extensive academic
advising, counseling, and leadership development.
CORO Exploring Leadership Program
Launched in 1998, the CORO Exploring Leadership Program provides Bay Area youth
with experiential leadership training and internships. As part of this intensive
program, participants spend five weeks working at an internship in a non-profit
organization, business or government office. In 2005, Parnassus Investments hosted
its first CORO intern.