The vision of the RTC Impact Fund (RTC-IF) is grounded in the reality that the exclusion or ineffective representation of communities in development decisions is a source of social conflicts around mining projects, particularly in the developing world. While the importance of a “social license” is increasingly recognized, a critical challenge remains of providing communities access to early stage capital to finance the legal, technical, and other services they need to asst their interests, negotiate a better deal, and establish appropriate mechanisms to receive and sustainably manage economic benefits.
Rather than relying on limited government funds, companies, or aid agencies, RTC-IF is working with social impact investors to raise grant funds and to establish an investment-based funding stream to finance communities wishing to independently acquire or retain the legal, financial, and technical tools to negotiate and advance sustainable development goals.
With OEF support, RTC-IF has undertaken relevant research and initial consultations with a broad range of stakeholders in the Philippines and elsewhere.
