End Notes

[1] Here are more detailed descriptions of the metrics we are focused on, including why they are included and how we calculate the results:

Number of Loans in Portfolio Attributed to:

  • People who are Black or Indigenous, and People of Color
  • Members of the LGBTQIA+ community
  • Women

Why: A measure of equity – ensuring that we meet communities facing structural or historical disadvantages where they are.

How: % of closed loans allocated to businesses owned by people from specified communities (based on submitted survey data).

Number of Loans in Portfolio Attributed to:

  • Small Farms
  • Low Income Areas

Why: The Community Reinvestment Act stipulates that we specifically track this part of our portfolio as a measure of community impact.

How: % of closed loans allocated to small farms % of closed loans to organizations located in low-income areas.

Loans Where We’re the Only Offer:

Why: Helps to define our differentiated impact – what the region might look like without us.

How: % of closed loans where we were the only offer from a bank (based on submitted survey data).

Acres of Farmland Funded:

Why: Ties our impact back to our area’s bio-region.

How: Sum of farm acreage associated with closed farm loans.

Walden Impact Assessment Submissions:

Why: Our Impact Assessment is the core of our strategy for advancing the conversation on social and environmental responsibility with our borrowers. The more organizations engage with it, the wider the reach of our impact.

How: A simple count of the number of submissions received from borrowers with a closed loan.

Walden Impact Assessment Change in Average Score:

Why: This provides a signal regarding changes in the type of organization we’re lending to - and where they are in their social and environmental responsibility journey.

How: The difference between the average Impact Assessment score for all borrower submissions in a given year. Keep in mind the changes to our Impact Assessment that were made in 2024, which reset many of our internal benchmarks for borrower impact measurement.

Summer Farm Dividend Redemption Rate:

Why: Reinforces connection between individuals and local farms/food businesses (through provision of a $100 credit).

How: # of Dividend recipients/all individual partners.

Special Deposit Dividend Rate:

Why: Measures return of value to our community (specifically our Special Deposit investors). Will remain at 0% until we have our first profitable year.

How: $ of profit returned to Special Deposit investors/ total Special Deposit balances.

Interest Paid Relative to Market:

Why: Another measure of return of value to our community of owners – one of our highest priorities as a mutual.

How: Average retail Grow Local interest rate for that calendar year versus FDIC’s average savings interest rate as of the first period reported in the following year (i.e. January 2023, January 2024, etc.) – expressed as a ratio.

Carbon Emissions

Scope 1 – Sources Controlled or Owned by Us

This is mostly composed of the emissions generated by operating our office in Concord, NH (excluding the purchase of utilities).

Scope 2 – Indirect Emissions from Purchased Energy

This covers all the emissions from our purchase of utilities for the operation of our office.

How: $ of profit returned to Special Deposit investors/ total Special Deposit balances.

Scope 3 – Indirect Emissions Affecting Value Chain

This includes:

  • Construction improvements to our office, office equipment, one-time set-up fees associated with software purchases, and other capital goods.
  • Employee commutes.
  • The recurring fees we pay on the software we license, normal office supplies, and other purchased goods and services.
  • Business travel.