Looking Out and Looking In

There is much to reflect on as we embark on the new year. Despite the many challenges we faced, we are looking forward to this year with a renewed sense of energy and purpose. While not a panacea to the damage done long-term, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout should hopefully support a faster and more equitable recovery. However, it is clear that there are still so many issues that society will need to face in due time.

With that said, this past year provided us with a few hopeful signals that shine a light on the path forward. People still found ways to volunteer with nonprofit organizations online. Many nonprofits were able to quickly adjust their services to better meet the needs of the communities they serve in the current environment. There was even an increase in charitable giving from individuals and foundations over this past year.

Interest in impact and sustainable investing was also on the rise, leading to a boost in companies that meet higher standards of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. Nasdaq recently announced their call to require all listed companies to publicly disclose the diversity statistics of their boards and to have at least two directors who identify as female and an underrepresented minority or LGBTQ+. This is a signal that diversity, equity, and inclusion has finally become a mainstream conversation. We expect this trend to continue across all industries. The environment had been a growing area of focus prior to the pandemic, but social issues were the primary focus last year. As the pandemic fades, we expect climate change to return to the forefront for businesses and governments alike. The new administration has already stated its renewed focus on this area.

We recognize that we have a long road ahead and actions speak louder than words. So, it is crucial to continue to address these social and environmental issues and keep up the momentum; we can all make a difference. Our team at Fire Capital is committed to doing our part both as individuals and as a company. We look forward to working together and learning from one another as we build a more resilient, inclusive, and better world.

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We'd like to share a few updates about what we’ve been up to outside of managing our client portfolios:

B CORP UPDATE

This year, Fire Capital completed an internal impact audit and submitted our B Corp Impact Assessment to apply to be a B Corp certified company. This assessed the overall impact of our company with regards to our workers, suppliers, community, and the environment. Certifying as a B Corp means that we commit to meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and legal accountability to balance both profit and purpose at the enterprise level. While we are still waiting for the final certification, we continue to measure and manage our social and environmental performance as we build our business responsibly.

PLEDGE 1%

Fire Capital has also joined the Pledge 1% movement on our journey to be a business for good. Pledge 1% is a global movement that encourages and empowers companies of all sizes and stages to donate 1% of their staff time, product, profit, and/or equity to charity. We are excited to see how we can better leverage our resources and experience towards impact. Thus far, we have committed to dedicating 1% of our annual earnings to impactful nonprofits that align with our values.

We believe that our clients are proud that a portion of their fees are going toward meaningful causes. This past year, Fire Capital gave back to support organizations that were providing COVID-19 relief to vulnerable populations. Moving forward, our firm plans to support efforts that empower under-served youth through financial literacy education and that promote diversity in the financial industry through mentorship opportunities as part of our ongoing commitment toward anti-racism, equity and inclusion. The need for this work has become even clearer as the pandemic has disproportionately affected Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities across society.

PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT

We love that we can support our clients with their social impact goals from how they invest, to how they give. This past year, we developed our own Impact Assessment to evaluate our client’s impact goals and to better support our clients in making the type of impact that is important to them. In 2020, our clients supported vulnerable communities affected by COVID-19, women and girls’ health, education and empowerment, racial justice organizations, and wildfire relief to name a few. We continue to support our clients with charity research and due diligence, grantmaking strategy and foundation administration. We also assist our clients in opening Donor Advised Funds (DAF), a type of charitable investment account, if that makes sense for their charitable needs.

We are so grateful to be able to work with exceptional clients who have a desire to invest toward a better world through their investments and philanthropy and with amazing partners, like LENDonate, that offer an impact investing platform. Fire Capital is passionate about how capital can generate positive social and environmental impact and finding innovative ways to engage more people to do good. We are continuing to learn and grow as a firm to be able to expand our services moving forward.

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Fire Capital Management is a boutique investment management company that helps people achieve their dreams. We empower our clients to re-imagine what is possible to accomplish with their investments, social impact goals, and legacy. The firm offers private wealth management and multi-family office services to HNW individuals, families, and foundations.

Disclaimer

The information in this report was prepared by Fire Capital Management. Any views, ideas or forecasts expressed in this report are solely the opinions of Fire Capital Management, unless specifically stated otherwise. The information, data, and statements of fact as of the date of this report are for general purposes only and are believed to be accurate from reliable sources, but no representation or guarantee is made as to their completeness or accuracy. Market conditions can change very quickly. Fire Capital Management reserves the right to alter opinions and/or forecasts as of the date of this report without notice.

All investments involve risk and possible loss of principal. There is no assurance that any intended results and/or hypothetical projections will be achieved or that any forecasts expressed will be realized. The information in this report does guarantee future performance of any security, product, or market. Fire Capital Management does not accept any liability for any loss arising from the use of information or opinions stated in this report.

The information in this report may not be suitable or useful to all investors. Every individual has unique circumstances, risk tolerance, financial goals, investment objectives, and investment constraints. This report and its contents should not be used as the sole basis for any investment decision.

Fire Capital Management is a boutique investment management company and operates as a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA). Additional information about the firm and its processes can be found in the company ADV or on the company website (firecapitalmanagement.com).

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