ICM ANNUAL IMPACT AWARDS

Awards Criteria

Beginning with the 2023 ICM Evening of Impact, staff at ICM member funds are invited to nominate individuals for three special awards each year:

  1. General partners: ICM IMPACT AWARD, which is about DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT IN VENTURE (and private equity, real estate, and credit) and advancing growth with integrity in the IMPACT INVESTING ECOSYSTEM. The Award recognizes a leader at an ICM member fund who exhibits distinguished professional achievements that exemplify ICM’s mission: performance - the realization of superior returns and meaningful impact - and a significant field-building contribution to growth with integrity and authenticity in the private capital impact investing industry.

  2. Emerging Leaders: ICM EMERGING LEADER AWARD, which recognizes rising talent at ICM member funds by celebrating an individual below the partner level who exhibits early professional achievements that exemplify ICM’s mission: performance - the realization of superior returns and meaningful impact - and a significant field-building contribution to growth with integrity and authenticity in the private capital impact investing industry. Consideration factors may include leadership on ICM or other impact investing-related Committees and Working Groups, volunteering and mentorship of others, thought leadership, efforts to develop a more diverse and inclusive impact investing industry, development of effective impact standards, entrepreneurship or rapid advancement within their firm.

  3. Limited Partners: ICM LP LEADER AWARD, which recognizes a limited partner who has shown extraordinary leadership in advancing the field of private capital impact investing. Factors for consideration may include innovative or early initiatives to seed and grow the field, capital allocation to high-integrity impact funds, advancement of effective impact standards, policy and advocacy leadership, efforts to make private capital impact investing more inclusive and diverse, or market-shaping research and thought leadership.


There is no geographic focus. For the first two awards, individuals at all ICM member funds are eligible. Self-nomination is allowed. Nominations will be anonymous; the staff and Board of ICM will choose winners from the nominee pool. Winners for all three awards will be recognized at a formal dinner organized by ICM and open to members, LPs, and other industry leaders. Questions about ICM Impact Awards can be directed to Marieke Spence, Executive Director, at mspence@impactcapitalmanagers.com.