You answered “no,” you do not have money invested in mutual funds. Mutual funds are a good choice to include in saving for your retirement, offering diversification and the potential for growth that is significantly higher than savings accounts. These investments are not insured however and cannot promise a rate of return. Mutual funds allow you to put investments into stocks, bonds, or a mixture of both, either with a national or international focus. Socially responsible mutual funds are screened to remove companies that are poor performers on social and environmental issues, while offering competitive returns. Several socially responsible funds direct between 1-10% of their assets to community development. The Social Investment Forum Foundation and Co-op America encourage you to invest at least 1% of your assets in communities. Mutual funds alone may not be enough to reach that goal, but they can be a part of your commitment to community. You can find socially screened mutual funds with a community investing component in our resources section. Also, you can get our community investing guide, which can provide you with more information.

4. Do you currently give money to charities that aid low-income people or communities here or abroad? Yes | No