Megan Christenson - REDF

Our Vision
- Our VisionAn economy that works. for everyone.
- Who We BackWe partner with social entrepreneurs to amplify the success of their businesses and the people they employ.
- How We Do ItWe help our enterprises grow further, faster through a combination of capital, capacity building, and community support.
- ImpactOur partnership accelerates the growth and impact of the enterprises we back.
- InsightsWe evaluate what works and share our learnings to spark action for policy and systems change.
Our Work
- Our WorkWe invest in businesses that reveal and reinforce the talent of people breaking through barriers to employment.
- AcceleratorA six-month cohort-based learning experience for leaders of early-stage enterprises to springboard growth.
- Growth PortfolioA multi-year investment in growth-stage employment social enterprises to help them scale sustainably.
- Impact InvestingFlexible loan capital for employment social entrepreneurs whose lived expertise is their collateral.
- Gov. Partnerships & PolicyAdvocacy and public sector partnerships to advance the field.
- CommunityCurated space and resources to help our social enterprise partners connect, grow, and lead.
- WorkshopREDFworkshop is an open, free virtual capacity building toolbox to help you build, grow, and sustain high-impact employment social enterprises.
Investments
About
- AboutWe envision a thriving and inclusive society where all people have the jobs and the support they need to realize their full potential.
- Mission & CultureIt’s not just what we do, it’s how we do it that matters.
- Our PeopleWe’re a motley crew of leaders and learners dedicated to building an economy that works. For everyone.
- CareersKnowing your work is improving lives is not the only benefit of the job. View opportunities to join our team.
- Farber FellowshipGrad students bring cutting-edge skills and passion to help employment social enterprises reach their full potential.
- SupportersOur generous funders and individual donors make this work possible.
- HistorySince 1997, REDF has been using business as a force for good.
- FinancialsREDF achieves the highest levels of accountability and transparency.
News

Megan Christenson leads portfolio management for the REDF Impact Investing Fund (RIIF), supporting a growing portfolio of employment social enterprise borrowers, and elevating RIIF’s role as a value-add to the social enterprise community.

Megan has spent over a decade working with early-stage ventures across sectors, industries, and legal structures to develop scalable processes for growth and impact. Prior to joining REDF, Megan ran The Lean Jane, a social innovation design and impact investment strategy firm. During this time, she teamed up with leading social impact organizations and innovation firms including REDF, Acumen Fund, the Experience Institute, SMALLIFY, and others to create and scale impact investment strategies and social innovation programs across sectors and industries.

Megan began her career in impact investment at the Points of Light Civic Accelerator (acquired by Acumen Fund in 2019), where she oversaw startup recruitment and selection, program design, curriculum delivery, direct investment, and venture development.

Megan holds an MBA and a master’s in international environmental policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, and an undergraduate degree in international studies and Spanish from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She lives in Chicago, where you can often find her teaching a yoga class or leading a pizza tour on the weekends.